Chairman of the Council for Multicultural Australia, Mr Neville Roach, AO, challenged Christian Churches to provide more moral leadership in the areas of racism, discrimination, unfair treatment of migrants and refugees, and reconciliation.

Mr Roach made this call to Church leaders during his address to the "Building Bridges" Conference on Multiculturalism held in Sydney over the weekend.

Challenges were also made by Mr Roach concerning the lack of clarity, strength and relentnessness of Church teachings in the fundamentally moral areas of-

Mr Roach called for a 'Code of Conduct' to help Christian Churches to balance respect for other religions with missionary activities aimed at conversion. This 'Code of Conduct' should be mutually acceptable to all communities of faith.

Mr Roach believes the unequal participation of women, particularly in the Catholic Church, conflicts with the inclusive values of multiculturalism and the celebration of diversity.

Mr Roach expressed a belief that there is a risk of discrimination in Church-based organisations which have successfully tendered for employment agency contracts under the "Jobs Network" scheme if they insist on potential employees having a 'Christian' ethos. He believes an Australian ethos should be expected.

Mr Roach expressed concern that this program was in danger of conflicting with the principles of Australian Multiculturalism. He expressed a belief that the 'overt propaganda' from some major host organisations promoting the upcoming opportunity for hosts to preach Christianity to their guests threatened the concept of 'acceptance in diversity'.

Mr Roach believes the ignorance of the Islamic religion leading to intolerance is one of the greatest challenges facing Australian multiculturalism and seriously threatens community harmony.

(vi) Reconciliation - Mr Roach suggested some simple practices which could make a big impact:

a) At the beginning of the Liturgy, acknowledge the original owners of the land where the place of worship is,

b) In the Penitentential Rite specifically say sorry to the indigenous people, 'for what we have done and what we have failed to do'.

e) Current Church symbols such as statues, holy pictures and the Christmas Crib are still almost exclusively 'white' or 'European'. He believes they should reflect our indigenous and multicultural communities.

He strongly encouraged Church Leaders 'to take risks' and 'to be courageous social commentators' on the issue of multiculturalism.

"Most of our political leaders are Christian. Many of them practicing their faith actively," said Mr Roach. "The Church leaders should have the courage to influence them from the pulpit by stressing the moral imperative of fighting racism and urgently achieving a basic document of reconciliation which includes an apology to the indigenous Australians from all other Australians."

For an interview please contact: Mr Neville Roach on 0415 669 377 or 02) 9776 4555 (w) or 02) 9959 5927 (h)

*************************************************************

The Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office (ACMRO)

and the

The Australian Catholic Social Justice Council (ACSJC)

Present

BUILDING BRIDGES

communities of faith working together in multicultural Australia

7 - 9 July 2000

St Joseph's College, Mark Street, Hunters Hill, Sydney NSW

Conference Papers

Opening

Friday 7 July

Ms Ann Mari Jordens is an historian and a member of ACMRO's Canberra Advisory Group. Her most recent books, Alien to Citizen, Settling Migrants in Australia 1945-75 (1997, Allen and Unwin in association with Australian Archives) and Redefining Australians. Immigration, Citizenship and National Identity (1995, Hale and Iremonger) were the product of a Research Fellowship held in 1992-93 in the Administration, Compliance and Governability Program within the Urban Research Program, Research School of Social Sciences, ANU. Ann-Mari is currently working at the National Library of Australia on the "Bringing them Home: Oral History Program'.

Acknowledgement of Country and Introduction to Conference

As we begin this conference we acknowledge that we have gathered on the land of the Eora people who have occupied the entire Sydney basin at the time of white settlement. They have been the custodians of this land from time immemorial and remain so today. As we celebrate NAIDOC Week, we are particularly conscious that all of us, whose people came to this country during the past 212 years, must work towards just and respectful relationship with the original peoples of this land.

I have high hopes that during the next two days, each of you will find at least one new idea that will make easier your important task of helping migrants and refugees reconstruct their lives in our society. I also hope that you make at least one new friend you might not otherwise have met, with whom you can share your ideas and experiences, and possibly work with in the future.

Why have we called this conference 'Building Bridges'? In the first ear of this new millennium some alarming cracks and gullies have appeared in the paths we all must travel as Australians. Some have already widened into obstacles, preventing everyday communication and cooperation within our neighbourhoods. Those authorities we have relied on in the past to fund and repair our national pathways, and to build our social bridges, seem to have lost interest.

History is often very useful in helping us to understand the present. Therefore, I will attempt in the next five minutes to briefly summarise the gains and losses of the final fifty years of the last millennium in the area of migrant and refugee settlement. This potted zoom through the past is based on my two recent books on the subject, Redefining Australians and Alien to Citizen.

After the Second World War, immigration was seen by political leaders of all persuasions as essential to the economic development of Australia - particularly to establishing secondary industry. They were, however, well aware that most Australians believed immigrants would take their jobs, and those who did not speak English or share their British culture, would undermine their values and institutions. Determined to have migrants accepted and absorbed as quickly as possible into Australian society and its economy, governments over the following forty years adopted three main strategies - building bridges, demolishing roadblocks and enlisting the community.

Immediately on arrival these newcomers, who were largely assisted refugees from the post-war chaos of Europe, were given unemployment and other social welfare benefits; were housed for relatively long periods in government- subsidised accommodation, which was rough but adequate, and were provided with jobs (which they could not choose but for which most were grateful). In 1948, when there were only 8,000 non-English speakers in Australia, the government initiated an innovative English language service for adults through classes and correspondence lessons supplemented by radio broadcasts. This service was available to all, free of charge, for as long as they felt they needed it. The Department of Immigration provided trained social workers both in migrant hostels and in city offices, to help the many already traumatised newcomers cope with the stresses of life in their new country. These were some of the government-build bridges.

Roadblocks abounded. Much of Australia's legislation and administrative practice was based on the assumption that all Australians were British, and provided many unintended barriers to the social and economic participation of non-British migrants. Aliens, for example, were barred until 1958 from holding land in most States; the Commonwealth denied them age, invalid and widows' pensions until 1966, and there were many barriers to those who wished to have their overseas professional qualifications recognised. Bureaucrats in the Department of Immigration laboured, sometimes for many years, to undermine these obstacles. All Commonwealth and State legislation was purged of discrimination on the grounds of nationality by 1975.

The third strategy was to coopt the community, both major organisations and private individuals, to persuade Australians to accept migrants and to ease their absorption into local communities. Two important government advisory bodies coopted the powerful employer and employee organisations. From 1950 to the early 1980s the Good Neighbour Movement, funded by the Department of Immigration, enlisted the Churches and other major voluntary organisation to help migrants settle into cities and towns across Australia. Their members welcomed newcomers into their communities, introduced them to the major services in their region, and often became their friends.

In the early 1970s Australia was officially redefined as a multicultural society. Throughout the 1980s the government developed Access and Equity, Equal Opportunity and other policies under the supervision of the Office of Multicultural Affairs within the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, to foster social and economic equality in our now multicultural society. Through Grants in Aid the government gradually transferred responsibility for the delivery of many settlement services to migrant community organisations, and de-funded the Good Neighbour Movement.

As many of you are now painfully aware, much of what I have just described has been lost. Following the abandonment of assisted migration in 1982, only refugees were provided with on-arrival accommodation. Progressively throughout the 1990s, as the philosophy of 'small government' and 'economic rationalism' gained ground, settlement services were restricted largely to humanitarian entrants. Preference was given to non-humanitarian applicants for migration who spoke English. For the first two years after their arrival they were ineligible to apply for social welfare benefits, and many previously free and unrestricted government provided services for migrants, such as those relating to language or employment, were outsourced to private agencies, required fees, or were restricted to certain categories of applicants. Unbelievably, genuine refugees who arrive independently of the approved bureaucratic processes, are now also denied most the vital help previously extended to all refugees in their traumatic first few years in this country.

This withdrawal of essential settlement services to migrants is placing at risk the social harmony which characterised the mass-migration program of the second half of the 20th century. Migrant community organisations, particularly communities of faith, are now experiencing extraordinary pressures on their resources at a time when there is growing popular questioning of the desirability of immigration, and of keeping faith with our international obligations towards the worlds refugees, which we have accepted generously and proudly since the 1950s. Dangerous fissures are appearing in the pathways our communities travel every day, and we cannot rely on the government to bridge them as we did in the past.

This is why we have held this conference. We hope that it will provide you with the opportunity to share with others the solutions you have found to the problems of the disadvantaged in your community. We also hope that you will consider the desirability of the various communities of faith pooling their resources on a regional level, not only to achieve economies of scale but also, more importantly, to build human bridges across cultural divides.

By providing ordinary people with the opportunity to work together with those of other faiths on common problems in their neighbourhood, communities of faith are well-placed to help foster inter-community understanding and friendship - to construct the bridge of good neighbourliness so essential for harmony in our multicultural society.

Opening of Conference

Most Rev. Archbishop Hickey is Catholic Archbishop of Perth and former Chairman of the Bishops' Committee for Migrants and Refugees. He is a member of the Order of Australia (OAM) and serves many government appointments including the Western Australian Homeless Persons and the WA Ethnic Affairs Advisory Committees and is a board member of the Institute of Family Studies and is a member of Australian Citizenship Council. His Papal appointments include the Grand Prior - Knights of the Holy Sepulchure WA and Relator Generalis, Synod for Oceania, Rome. Until recently Archbishop Hickey was the Chairman of the Bishops' Committee for Migrants and Refugees and has also served on other Bishops' Committees including Social Welfare; Seminaries; Liturgy; Great Jubilee 2000; Media; Evangelisation and Missions as well as being a current member of the Bishops Central Commission.

Australian identity crisis identified at Multiculturalism Conference

"Attitudes towards migrants and asylum seekers have hardened," said Archbishop Hickey as he opened the Catholic Conference on multiculturalism on Friday night at St. Joseph's College in Hunter's Hill.

"The Government has progressively restricted migration over the past few years and has taken a very hard line in respect to border arrivals, both in terms of the conditions in detention centres and the limits placed on those who succeed in obtaining a 3-year visa." said Archbishop Hickey.

"This is a situation," he said, "Which raises problems that must be resolved. One of these was talk of an Australian identity crisis, of knowing who we are and what it is that distinguishes Australian society from other nations."

This theme was also taken up by Jason Yet-Sin Li, a delegate to the 1998 Australian Constitutional Convention, in his opening address.

Mr Li said we have a 'static multiculturalism' view that sees culture as unchanging, but that this gives a flawed impression of culture and identity.

Mr Li suggested there needed to be a new path taken, where differences were not seen as obstacles to equality.

"An 'evolutionary multiculturalism' sees constant change, dynamic growth and the culture evolving," said Mr Li.

Mr Li called on communities of faith to live evolutionary multiculturalism, to lead by example and work together, to encourage the building of infrastructure and to particularly reach out to the young people.

He concluded that all people must be able to contribute to the cultural life of Australia, that our identity comes not from who we are but what we do.

Opening Address

Jason Yat-Sen Li was born and educated in Australia. A fluent speaker of English, German and Dutch, Jason is presently undertaking his Masters in International Law at New York University School of Law as a Hauser Global Scholar. He has over 6 years professional legal experience. In 1996, he spent 2 years working for the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslovia in the Hague, the Netherlands, as a legal officer in Chambers and an associate/law clerk. He was also a consultant to the International Commission of Jurists (Geneva) as an expert-on-mission to the United Nations during that period. Jason was elected an independent delegate to the Australian Constitutional Convention in a national postal ballot and credited for his role in drafting and brokering majority support for a model of republican government that was ultimately endorsed by the Convention. He was also appointed by the Prime Minister to the official government 'YES' Committee. He is a board member of the Asia Australian Institute, Australia's most influential business political think-tank with extensive networks throughout the Asian region. He was also youth chairperson of the Ethnic Communities Council of NSW, the state's peak ethnic community body, a member of Youth Committee of the Australia Day Council, and a member of the documents reference group of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation. Most recently, Jason is a founder and director of a new Australian professional intermediation business, Professionalsearch.com.au.

Insert

Day 2

Saturday 8 July

Welcome

Bishop Patrick Dougherty is Bishop of Bathurst and was recently elected as Chairman of the Bishops' Committee for Migrants and Refugees. He has many positions including the Auxiliary Bishop to the Archbishop of Canberra; Secretary to the Australian Episcopal Conference, Canberra; Executive Secretary; Assistant Vice-Rector Propaganda Fide College, Rome and a Lecturer at St Columba's Seminary, Springwood. He holds a Doctorate of Divinity.

insert

Multicultural Australia Today

Neville Roach (AO) is Chairman of the Council for Multicultural Australia and of Fujitsu Australia Ltd and a prominent member of Australia's business community and has a longstanding and intense interest in multicultural and immigration policy. He was born in India, arriving in Australia in 1961. In 1965 he was granted permanent residency and in 1985 became an Australian citizen. Neville is committed to promoting the value and importance of Australia's cultural diversity, both domestically and overseas. He has championed the economic benefits of Australia's cultural and linguistic diversity in his addresses at many business and government fora. After chairing the previous National Multicultural Advisory Council (NMAC) from January 1996, he was appointed by the Government as the Chairman of the reconstituted NMAC 0n 30 June 1997. As Chairman of NMAC he was responsible for the development of the Council's report to Government recommending on a policy and implementation framework for the next decade, aimed at ensuring that cultural diversity is a unifying force for Australia and he is also involved in major events such as the Sydney 2000 Olympics and the Centenary of Federation in 2001. Neville is a Director of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia, Director of Exports and International Relations of the Australian Information Industry Association and is a member of the Australian Graduate School on Management Advisory Council. In December 1999, the Government established the Council for Multicultural Australia, and appointed Neville as Chairman of the new Council. Its membership is expected to be announced soon.

The following media release summaries Neville's speech

'Church Leaders need to be more vocal, more often on Multicultural issues'

Chairman of the Council for Multicultural Australia, Mr Neville Roach, AO, challenged Christian Churches to provide more moral leadership in the areas of racism, discrimination, unfair treatment of migrants and refugees, and reconciliation.

Mr Roach made this call to Church leaders during his address to the "Building Bridges" Conference on Multiculturalism held in Sydney over the weekend.

Challenges were also made by Mr Roach concerning the lack of clarity, strength and relentnessness of Church teachings in the fundamentally moral areas of-

(i) Religious tolerance

Mr Roach called for a 'Code of Conduct' to help Christian Churches to balance respect for other religions with missionary activities aimed at conversion. This 'Code of Conduct' should be mutually acceptable to all communities of faith.

(ii) Gender inequality, particularly in the Catholic Church

Mr Roach believes the unequal participation of women, particularly in the Catholic Church, conflicts with the inclusive values of multiculturalism and the celebration of diversity.

(iii) Employment Agency contracts

Mr Roach expressed a belief that there is a risk of discrimination in Church-based organisations which have successfully tendered for employment agency contracts under the "Jobs Network" scheme if they insist on potential employees having a 'Christian' ethos. He believes an Australian ethos should be expected.

(iv) Athlete's families' home hosting program for 2000 Olympic Games

Mr Roach expressed concern that this program was in danger of conflicting with the principles of Australian Multiculturalism. He expressed a belief that the 'overt propaganda' from some major host organisations promoting the upcoming opportunity for hosts to preach Christianity to their guests threatened the concept of 'acceptance in diversity'.

(v) Ignorance of the Islamic religion

Mr Roach believes the ignorance of the Islamic religion leading to intolerance is one of the greatest challenges facing Australian multiculturalism and seriously threatens community harmony.

(vi) Reconciliation - Mr Roach suggested some simple practices which could make a big impact:

a) At the beginning of the Liturgy, acknowledge the original owners of the land where the place of worship is,

b) In the Penitentential Rite specifically say sorry to the indigenous people, 'for what we have done and what we have failed to do'.

c) In the Prayers of the Faithful, pray for 'generosity of spirit'

d) Acknowledge a specific sign of peace with indigenous people

e) Current Church symbols such as statues, holy pictures and the Christmas Crib are still almost exclusively 'white' or 'European'. He believes they should reflect our indigenous and multicultural communities.

He strongly encouraged Church Leaders 'to take risks' and 'to be courageous social commentators' on the issue of multiculturalism.

"Most of our political leaders are Christian. Many of them practicing their faith actively," said Mr Roach. "The Church leaders should have the courage to influence them from the pulpit by stressing the moral imperative of fighting racism and urgently achieving a basic document of reconciliation which includes an apology to the indigenous Australians from all other Australians."

Women in Multicultural Australia

Sr Pauline Rae is an executive member of the Columban Institute, Turramurra

Sydney. She is Convenor of the Centre for Christian-Muslim Relations, President of a Catholic Women's Dialogue Network and a member of the Women's Interfaith Network.

Pauline will talk about a story of two women's organizations, one Christian, one Muslim, both multicultural in membership, and how they are working together. Their common ground is in faith tradition to which each group is committed and concerned for women and the issues in society which affect them. Their common rationale - faith communities have an obligation to work towards overcoming prejudice, stereotyping and marginalisation in our society.

insert

Maha Abdo has been involved in Social Welfare field more than a decade. She manages the United Muslim Women Association Incorporated and coordinates staff programs and activities of the Organisation. She has represented the Muslim Community on Ministerial Advisory Committees such as Sport and Recreation Strategic Planning re: Accessing appropriate facilities; Substitute Care where she is now chairing a sub committee researching the needs if young Australian Muslims in and out of Care. She has been involved on many other committees within the Muslim and mainstream Australian committees, such as Human Rights Commission and Anti-Discrimination Board with a focus on correcting misconception and the differences between Religious and Cultural practices, ensuring that Muslim Women needs are taken into consideration in the development and implementation of services and programs. Her aim are to provide women with the appropriate skills needed to ensure they have a voice to participate in Australian Society: to foster and promote better understanding of Muslim Women and their status in Islam and today society.

Insert

Mrs Mary Excell is a member of the Catholic Women's League. Mary was married for 33 years and has been a widow for 7 years. Interestingly she has 5 children who are married to Italian, German, Chinese, English, and Australian spouses. She was a registered nurse for 40 years. Mary has recently been appointed as the Migrant Officer for the National Council of Women in Tasmania and was involved with Kosovars in Tasmania. She has vast experience in various parish and community organizations and her talk will reflect that involvement and experience.

Building Bridges

Introduction

Bridges may be built between two countries, two cultures, two people.

Bridges may be built by us or for us but someone has to cross that bridge.

Bridges with language, culture, relationships, tradition, attitudes, viability and roles.

Case studies

My maternal grandmother came from Portadown, Ireland in 1886 as an 18-year-old. She went in to service in Ireland as a 10-year-old and continued such work when she arrived in Australia.

Her particular bridge was built when she married a Scotsman who was a miner. She was an ardent Presbyterian and even disowned my mother when she became a catholic.

Grandpa made more from cartage and odd-jobs than mining but he became ill with "miner's disease'' which was treated as infectious TB. He lived in a tent in the yard.

Life was hard as they only had a cow, fowls, and grew vegetables. He died in 1911, leaving her with six children, four of them dependent - no help from governments in those days. To make ends meet she took on numerous odd-jobs including washing and ironing and took on state wards as boarders. Despite a frugal diet she lived to be 92 and four of her children passed that age - two reaching 101.

Role of women:

Australian and migrant women lived through two world wars and a depression. During this time men often worked away from home and in wartime, overseas. Women basically took on the role of men as well as their own. They joined the armed forces, worked the land, drove trucks and even when at home did cooking and knitting for the services. Thus they bridged many of the traditional gaps between men's work and women's work.

Post-war migration:

This was one of the greatest bridge building periods in australian history.

Migrants came in waves - Australia needed labour in housing, factories, infrastructure, mining and hydro-electricity schemes. Germans, Italians, Dutch and from the Baltic States , mostly all homeless. They were called wogs, reffos, balts and huns. Very little thought was given by the government to social structure. Many played hard and worked hard and paid the price - alcoholism was rife amongst migrants.

Women and families followed their menfolk - some polish women imprisoned in Germany were repatriated through New Zealand and formed relationships with migrants in Australia.

the book and later the film the sound of one hand clapping by Tasmanian author Richard Flanagan, portrayed life in hydro villages. Very little help was given to these people to help them learn English. Most learnt when their children went to school.

Here are some of the bridge builders:

An Italian woman told me how she quaked in her shoes when someone asked her to help in the tuck-shop but she grew in confidence and even joined the mother's club. These women who were catholic were pleased to find mass in Latin and felt at home in the church. By the time mass was changed to English they could cope.

A Polish women told me of being captured when 18 and taken to Germany where she dug trenches and worked for the army. All she had of her own was a small prayer book. She cried and said many prayers over four years of hard work and deprivation. towards the end of the war she escaped and hid on a boat to Denmark and eventually came to Australia and married a polish man.

One Dutch couple worked on lighthouses and had little time to practice their English until their children went o high school and they came to live on-shore.

An Austrian woman came with a German husband and two children early 1950, spent time in hydro villages, had two more children. Life was hard but she said she loved Tasmania and was happy here.

Some English-speaking women from various ethnic groups worked as interpreters as midwives in the late 50s and early 60s - much to the relief of Australian midwives whose sign language left a lot to be desired.

Japan:

Australia's occupation of Japan after WWII led to many friendships. One Japanese lady told of her Australian soldier friend taking her to a convent where the nuns taught her English and she became a catholic. When eventually she came to Australia about 1955 life was very difficult because she was obviously different. She worked hard as an interpreter in hospitals and on tuna boats which at that time were based in Hobart. Now a widow, she is heavily involved in conducting adult education classes in floral arrangements and making vestments for Passionist Priests.

Twin-sister relationships with cities in Japan resulted in many visitors. More recently, one lord mayor married a Japanese lady and brought her to reside in Hobart where she still lives as his widow.

Greeks:

Greeks came to Australia and took on roles which Australians refused like working all-hours in fish and chip shops. Most of the money they made went back to Greece to support and bring out extended families - even brides were put on the shopping lists. Australian women said Greek men would always take them out but marriage was never an option as they had to have Greek wives.

Chinese:

The White Australia Policy established in both NSW and Victoria in the 1850s and redrafted at federation kept families apart. Single men were accepted and worked in many labour-intensive jobs including mining and gardening. The law was not repealed until 1973. Fathers and sons often returned to China to see families but wives and children were not allowed for 16 years. When the first Chinese restaurant, the golden dragon, was set up in Hobart a wife was allowed to come and work there. This was nine years after separation. These women worked mostly as partners of husbands and there was no time for socialising. They had a fear of losing their Chinese language so continued to speak in their native tongue. This was particularly hard for children.

The wife of a Chinese lay minister at Trinity Anglican church in Hobart has an outreach program for young Chinese women who are isolated. She has cooking demonstrations and guest speakers and even has some of them now reading the bible. Children still have a lot of racist remarks to contend with.

Sri Lankans:

An English-speaking family migrated in 1962 when Sri Lanka was becoming a Singhla-speaking country. The breadwinner was a cartographer and felt uneasy about work and language change. He had work in Sydney before moving to Hobart. They had no help from the government and their first application to migrate in 1958 was refused.

Vietnamese:

The arrival of Vietnamese in the early 1980s, mostly men who had spent time in camps , sparked the introduction of a new non-European culture. As with their European counterparts, they were followed by wives and families. Some were Catholics and some became Catholics after a short time here. The uniting church played a major role in helping the Vietnamese to integrate by providing household utensils, bedding etc, providing transport to doctors and hospitals.

Catholic archbishop young had one special evening where he baptised from babies upwards, had first communion and confirmation. Many Catholics became involved as godparents and sponsors. Unfortunately, many families left Tasmania for better employment opportunities in bigger states. Our sponsor family stayed until 1988 and we still keep in touch.

Hmongs:

There are 250 ethnic Lao in Tasmania. They have no religion but within their culture they have specific practices. They believe in incarnation and have groups for praying. When ill, they look for spiritual healing with the Sharmian spiritual leader. The leader in Tasmania came to the university of Tasmania on a scholarship in 1972 and was able to guide his people. His savings allowed him to put his daughter, a surveyor, and son, a doctor, through university.

They grow vegetables and sell them at all markets. The men have found the culture difficult because their women can be independent and have adapted to the local environment much quicker. Child support is paid to the mother and the women can often be seen transporting goods to markets on their own.

San salvadore:

A widow with three children arrived in Tasmania nine years ago and has since brought out two of her sisters and her parents. Two of her daughters are now working and the son is at university. They are all Catholics and struggled with English but were greatly assisted by the presentation sisters.

Hungarian:

This family has not been in Hobart very long and is finding it hard to be accepted as they have no extended family and language is very difficult. There are few full-time jobs available but the children are settling at school.

Kosovars:

The most recent arrivals have been the refugees from war-torn Kosovo. Australia's apparent generosity in offering them temporary relief built strong bridges but they were destroyed when the government forced the repatriation of many back to their homeland - much to the anger and dismay of many communities. The plight of the Kosovars, captured live on television, tugged at the hearts of ordinary Australians who welcomed them with open arms and were more than willing to assimilate them in to the local community. A haven center at Brighton, on the outskirts of Hobart, was not regarded as a refugee camp but more like a community center.

The closure of the Brighton camp did not spell the end of the Kosovo influence with three families now living in and amongst the local community and adding a new migrant culture. Because of the publicity the Kosovars have generated, Australians are thinking more deeply about refugees - a plea to assist East Timorese with basic necessities met with an overwhelming response from the catholic women's league.

Summary:

While there have been difficult times building bridges with various cultures, there can be no mistaking that Australia is one of the more accepting nations in the world when it comes to embracing people from different backgrounds. Some bridges may never develop and some people may never assimilate in to Australian society but others have gone on to make significant contributions. One only has to remember the outpouring of national grief when noted Chinese heart surgeon Victor Chang was murdered.

Ordinary women in the community have done unseen acts for other ordinary women. By such gestures (usually not made public) the life of a lot of migrants and refugees was made more bearable.

We only have to look around to see the huge diversity in food and cultures which have been a part of Australian society for the past 50 years.

Many Australian bridge builders can better relate to the plight of refugees and migrants, having lived through their own nightmares like floods, drought, cyclones and bushfires. Having lost all we owned except for a car and four children in the 1967 bushfires, I can personally relate to the plight of refugees.

I leave you with the words of the Anglican-Chinese lady who said "remember, the first bridge, built by Jesus, was one of love, from us to his father in heaven''.

Youth in Multicultural Australia

Hang Vo, is the Team Leader for Access Youth Support - a St. Vincent de Paul Access Youth Support Program in Melbourne. Over the last 6 years Hang has worked extensively with at risk young people, in particular, Vietnamese homeless young people. Her social work background, as well as personal experience of being a young refugee woman growing up in Australia, gives her insight into the issues which confront Vietnamese young people today. She will speak about her work with homeless young people and the issues that confront them and ways in which we as a community can better understand and support the young people. She believes that too often the young people themselves are not given the opportunity to determine the relevance that ethnicity plays in their lives.

insert

Myriam Baharai works for the Youth Action and Policy Association NSW Inc (YAPA) which is a peak body for youth services and youth issues. She is the non-English speaking background (NESB) Youth Development Officer funded by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA) to work with and for newly arrived refugees and young people, migrant groups and the youth sector to improve access and equity for all young people. She has 13 years of youth work experience and has provided service delivery directly at locally based youth services and is currently involved in policy development and training. She has worked in various capacities on migrant issues as they concern young people for the past 10 years.

insert

David Hua is the secretary of the Board of Education and Co-Editor of the English Section for the Hwa Tsang Monastery Monthly Bulletin. He is a volunteer at Hwa Tsang Monastery, Homebush. He is employed by ABC Online and is responsible for maintaining and updating their web site. He has experience as both a tutor and a student in classes conducted by the Hwa Tsang Monastery which are specifically designed to address the problems faced by ethnic youth by providing education as a way to counteract social injustice.

insert

Schools in Multicultural Australia

Warren Hopley, is the Principal at St Joachims Primary School, Lidcombe. He has held the previous position of Education Officer with the Catholic Education Office, Sydney. He was formerly the Principal of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Sefton; St. Bernadette's Dundas Valley; Our Lady Queen of Peace, Gladesville; Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Waterloo. He is presently a member of CESCEO (committee of State and Commonwealth Chief Executive Education Officers) a sub- committee which is formulating a national policy and document on countering racism for Australian schools. Warren is representing the National Catholic Education Commission.

Insert

Trish Janu is from the Baha'i Community and has 22 years experience as a teacher in NSW Schools. Trish is currently working as a Support Teacher for Children with Learning Difficulties in a school in Newcastle which is involved in the Disadvantaged Schools Program. She has been a member the National Baha'i Committee for 8 years and contributed to writing the Australian Baha'i Education Curriculum. She is a trained facilitator in the Virtues Project and will be using that background in her talk that focuses on the resources.

'Schools in Multicultural Australia'

The Baha'i faith originated in Iran in the early 1800's. It is now an independent Faith with adherents from a wide range of religious and cultural backgrounds. Baha'u'llah was its Prophet/Founder. It's basic teaching is that God has sent a series of messengers throughout history to guide humanity. Each Messenger has brought the same basic spiritual teachings. Another one of the keynote teachings is that Humanity is one family. The beauty of the family is in its diversity.

Baha'i scripture classes are run in many states schools throughout Australia where permission has been granted to do so. A small proportion of the children attending are from Baha'i families. Some of these are Iranian refugees who arrived in Australia following religious persecution in their own country. The majority of children attending are from non-Baha'i families with a wide range of cultural and religious backgrounds. Classes are open to all and are provided by the Baha'i as a service to the community. The purpose of the classes is to awaken the children's sense of spirituality and to develop in them the concept of becoming peace-makers. Also to awaken their understanding that they are world citizens. The classes are based on the principles of the Baha'i Faith. The Oneness of God, the Oneness of religion, the oneness of humanity, the equality of men and women, harmony of science and religion and the development of a universal language.

The tools that are used for the classes are the Australian Baha'i Curriculum, the Peace Pack and the Virtues project materils. The prupose of the curriculum is for the children to 'know, love and worship God'.

Some of the themes of the curriculum are the Purpose of Religion, Unity in Diversity, Consultation, the Beauty and Laws of Life and Spiritual Transformation. The Purpose of Religion theme teachings such as the Golden Rule running through them.

The Peace Pack focuses on stories concerning each Messenger of God and activities related to the particular Virtue which they exemplified. It also looks a the social problems which need to be addressed before World Peace can become a reality.

The Virtues Project was developed to provide families with strategies to support their children in their spiritual development. The authors chose common Virtues from the world's Holy Books such as the Koran, the Bible, the Hindu and Buddhist scriptures and the Baha'i scriptures.

Fifty-two were chosen for the project. Parents and teachers can bring these Virtues to their children's attention by their acknowledgment when they see them using them or calling them to the fact that they have neglected to use a particular Virtue on a certain occasion.

One Virtue a week can be focused on by a class or family, so that they can explore exactly what it means to know and use that Virtue. In times of difficulty, certain Virtues can be called on for assistance.

The purpose of all these material is to develop in children their spirituality and to allow them to become peace-makers in their own communities; "You must sow the seeds of peace in the minds of children. Teach them victories of peace. Envelope them with the atmosphere of peace and inspire their hearts with the glorious achievements peace. Let their food be peace, their contemplation peace, their highest aspiration peace and the impelling purpose of their lives peace." - Baha'i Writings.

Madenia Abdhur Aham, is the Principal of Arkana Muslim College and is an Education Consultant on applications for new schools for the Department of Employment and Youth Affairs. She is a member of several committees including: the Vice President of the Multicultural Eid Festival and Fair; the Muslim Women's National Network of Australia; vice Chair person and executive member of Muslim Aid Australia; Founding Member and supporter of the Campbelltown Interfatih Group. She holds a Bachelor of Education and Post Graduate study in Specialised and Physical Education and Art.

insert

Fighting Poverty in Multicultural Australia

Robert Fitzgerald, Commissioner, Community Services Commission, NSW which is the independent statutory watchdog for consumers of community services. It has a special focus on child protection issues, children in care, people with disabilities, aged and homeless persons receiving services from government and non-government agencies. Robert is a member of the National Competition Council and previously Associate Commissioner on the Productivity Commission's Inquiry into Gambling. He previously practised as a commercial solicitor and management consultant for 20 years, specialising in franchising and licensing areas. His previous voluntary community positions include National President of the Australian Council of Social Service, Commissioner NSW Catholic Commission on Employment Relations, Member of the National Committee of Caritas Australia, State President St Vincent de Paul Society (NSW) and Chairman, JOB Futures Limited (a national network of community based employment services organizations). Robert was educated at St Pius X College, Chatswood and holds degrees in law and commerce from the University of NSW.

insert

Patricia Ravalico is the coordinator of the St Vincent de Paul Societies NSW Migrant and Refugee Committee. Patricia has held that position since 1980. She also is national convenor for the Migrant and Refugee Committee of the National Council of the Society of St Vincent de Paul. S was a member of many Boards, Committees and Councils: the Law Foundation of NSW; the NSW Child Protection Council of NSW; the Community Welfare Advisory Council of NSW; the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council. She is currently a member of the ACMRO Sydney Advisory Group and Board Members of the Mercy Refugee Service; the Jesuit Refugee Service; the Refugee Council of Australia.

Day 3

Sunday 9 July

Refugees in Multicultural Australia

Sylvia Winton is the Co-ordinator of the Asylum Seekers Centre in Sydney. Sylvia developed an interest in refugee issues and other cultures in 1987 when studying her Bachelor of Social Work. She undertook research into the Women at Risk program looking at specific aspects in refugee camps in Hong Kong and Thailand as well as with Government and Non-Government Organizations. She held the position of Jobskills Training Officer with the Australian National Committee on Refugee Women (ANCORW) and also taught in TAFE Welfare Faculties. Sylvia was a volunteer in a refugee camp in the Philippines, working with Vietnamese people who would be resettled in Australia, and has been keen to return to camp work but for personal reasons. She has also worked at the Mona Vale Hospital in the Community Social Work area and is currently the Co-ordinator of the Asylum Seekers Centre and feels she has found her camp.

The Conference brochure connects my identity to the Asylum Seekers Interagency - of which I am the chair. This interagency is a fantastic example of a community of faiths working together. Not especially religious or spiritual faiths, for these aspects have never been discussed. We are members of the human faith, a group united by our common goal, gathering strength from each other and working for asylum seekers.

The Beginning

My predecessor, who many of you know, Frank Elvy, a wonderful peacemaker and bridge builder, arranged a meeting folk from the metropolitan area of Sydney, who had been seeing asylum seekers. The meeting was held in the garage at the Asylum Seekers Centre. About 30 people gathered on chairs. Prior to this meeting, we were all "doing it alone". Seeing asylum seekers, not knowing where to refer, how to improve conditions, how to get doors open for these most marginalised people - rejected from their own countries, now by default, rejected by the people in the community of the country they had turned to for protection. This was nearly 4 years ago.

The Present

Every 2 months there is a meeting of the Asylum Seeker Interagency. Now held in Red Cross House, around a board-room type table. Consistently 30-35 people attend -representing many agencies, too large a voice to be ignored. Government and non-government sector came together. (DIMA, UNHCR, RRT, RCOA) private and community legal firms that represent asylum seekers, ethnic groups, Amnesty International, NCCA Australian Red Cross, St Vincent de Paul, University departments, Law Society, individuals who visit Detention Centres, individuals who support and advocate). We listen, problem share, before the next meeting we will have done/followed through on business of the meeting.

The Asylum Seeker Interagency structure:

3 Working Groups meet between main Interagency meetings

v Detention Working Group

v Legal Working Group

v Housing & Welfare Working Group

v The Interagency has an independent chair whose organization is not funded by government and who is therefore able to speak out.

Interagency strengths:

Diversity -

the background of its members

the knowledge and expertise of its members

the aspect it members will advocate for or represent

Similarity -

Our passion

Our frustrations

Our unity

Our care for humanity

Lets look at some of these. Lets ask ourselves:

* Summing Up

How do you survive in a community without permission to work if you are not eligible for any benefits? How do you find accommodation? How do you catch a train or bus? Buy a meal? How do you buy a razor or toothpaste or soap? How do you get medical attention for the torture wound that you feel ashamed to tell anyone about? Because, without permission to work you also do not have access to medicare - no access to health c services at all for the 3 months to sometimes more than 2 years while you struggle to prove your need for protection. Indeed, often there will be children involved!

*Where do we as members of the Interagency turn when we meet severely tortured human beings? Not where to refer, but perhaps how to expedite? And this is what we do now with the earlier cases. Ask that their case be heard as a matter of urgency.

Their answer may still be months coming, but we will keep working on this.

*Airport turnarounds......A policy matter, but also a practice matter. It is someone's life. ..."turn round as soon as possible" is the DIMA policy. A woman from Iraq who arrived without papers but with children, was able to speak to her sister who asked a layer to call the Iraqi woman at the airport; from to the few questions, the lawyer believed there was a very strong case for this woman to seek protection. He went to the Court to seek an injunction and an officer from the court called the airport to say this was on its way, only to be told the woman and children had been "turned around" - put on the same plane they arrived on.

The policy for airport administration of "illegals" or "unauthorised arrivals" is causing some difficulty for those who advocate for this group. Watch this space......... We are still working on this one.

*Indeed, "illegals" - the use of language:

"Illegals"! We all use it - word we sue to describe those folk who reach our shores without documentation. It was an Interagency meeting recently where Mary Cresp challenged our use of the word "Illegals". These folk have not overstayed their vias. They have not committed a crime. "Illegals", "asylum seekers" Two labels which mystify and mask role of these people. Labels which may absolve us as members of the community from our part in the process. Labels that many people think just makes them 'Government' concern'. These people are human beings - like you and like me. Human beings asking our government for protection.

*Children of PV applicants able to attend school - but are they getting in?

*TPV's - a new group that need help and advocacy:

Mr I from Iraq, Wife of 8 months left in Jordan while he got to safety, "then I was to get her to he". Now cannot sponsor his wife for 3 years. This is a condition of his Temporary Protection Visa. He lost contact with her and now learns she was sent back to Iraq. The terror and guilt. How does that person feel secure and participate in our society for during the wait - not knowing if she will ever be allowed to join him in the end.

So many of these cases...they talk of the children they use to walk with and they could not say farewell to or explain why daddy was leaving.

A further example of "Communities of faith working together" is in the very establishment of the Asylum Seekers Centre which I co-ordinate. The centre commenced 7 years ago in response to service providers identifying many asylum seekers who were not able to access mainstream services and were isolated, often with not English, no access to medical assistance, often tortured individuals, with nowhere to turn.

The Centre is a place of hospitality and welcome, providing support, a range of services and referrals.

A delightful house about 20 minutes walk from Central station, which the Good Shepherd Sisters provide, rent free. The Good Shepherd are also a major funding body of the work at the Centre.

The Mercy Foundation - the other major funding body, also assist the provision of the Health Care program we offer. Jesuit Refugee Service presently auspice our work - the Centre is a Special Project of JRS. Individuals in the community who care for/support/donate time, material, money to asylum seekers make the work possible and are communities of faith working together.

20 Volunteers each week attend and provide most of the services.

Communities of Faith - I hear daily examples of "man's inhumanity to man" - sufficient to dash one's faith. I am often asked how I keep going when my day has so many horrific stories. I don't know how I keep going. I love my work. I get my energy from challenges and my work is full of these.

For me it is a privilege to interact with people of different faiths. Perhaps this is where I get my strength from - form the very diversity of the people I come in contact with - the workers and the asylum seeker folk. From the knowledge that I can walk with and accompany another human being, no matter what their faith. To me both the Asylum Seeker Interagency and the Asylum Seeker Centre are Communities of Faith - Building Bridges.

Margaret Piper is the Executive Director of the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA). She is a member of a number of national consultative bodies and has regularly been the non-government adviser to the Australian Government delegation to the annual meeting of the Executive Committee of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva. Margaret has travelled extensively with both with the RCOA and formerly with AUSTCARE and recently has visited Kosovo, Serbia and Bosnia and other refugee trouble spots. She has written extensively about many aspects of the refugee experience and is the author of a text on refugee children. She is a member of the Refugee Resettlement Advisory Council which assists the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs. She is also on the Boards of the Refugee Advice and Casework Service and the Asylum Seeker's Centre and was until recently, Chairperson of Uniya, the Jesuit social justice research organization.

Insert

Mary Gavin is the cross-cultural pastoral worker for the Centre for Multicultural Pastoral Care. She has worked in the area for many years and was the first lay Director of Mission and Immigration in the Brisbane Archdiocese. She is on several committees and is a member of the Interfaith Multicultural Forum.

Workshops Summary

Women Josie Lacey

Difficulties migrant women have include:

Lack of inclusiveness in society including not enough women are represented at the board room level; executive level in faith groups and lack of opportunities to attend English classes associated with home and child minding responsibilities.

Cultural and social changes including moving from an extended (community) to a nuclear family. Many held subservient roles in other cultures therefore the transition to a non-discriminatory society is problematic.

Lack of knowledge about legal rights in Australia.

Loss of status.

Cultural relativity can lead to abuse of women and children.

Recommendations

Continue interfaith network.

Women and children are informed of legal rights prior to arrival in Australia.

Schools/Youth Warren Hopley

School anti-racism kit - 'No Way'

Negative affect of racism effects self-esteem and therefore education, academic performance and family relations suffer.

Recommendation

Access the kit at www.racismnoway.edu.au

Fighting Poverty David Hua

Interesting to have historical insights into politics and policies - eg abandonment of the Good Neighbour Neigbour Scheme.

There exist help structures established widely in faith communities - all facing resource pressures.

Recommendations

Pool resources to have one larger structure with a bigger scope to provide support to migrants and refugees.

Volunteers to work together to continue the theme of Building Bridges.

Internet provides the opportunity to continue building bridges eg with email etc.

Refugees & asylum Seekers Fedor Mediansky

Recommendations

Church/Faith leaders make resources available.

Prepare a Conference press statement expressing concern with Temporary Protection Visas (TPV's) and insufficient support.

Address the need to change negative public opinion concerning migrants and refugees especially with the use of such terms as 'illegals'.

Use Refugee and Migrant Sunday as a forum to advocate positive change concerning the perception and understanding migrants and refugees.

Pastoral Care Jose Zepeda

Recommendations

National Policy to be accepted at the diocesan level.

Training for Chaplains.

Multicultural nature of parishes needs to be made a reality - to take ownership.

[1]Cross Cultural training for all pastoral councils and ministries in parishes.

Reconciliation and Racism Aileen Crowe FMM

Recommendation

Media to be more positive concerning ethnic and cultural (racial) issues.

Newer communities want to able to say sorry to indigenous people of Australia.

Establish and work with Australian Catholic University groups.

Increase and facilitate interfaith dialogues.

Letter writing activities with other Churces/Faiths.

Access the Wanyarri, Education Program from AMEP.

Summing Up

Summing Up Given at the End of the Conference by Sandie Cornish

Introduction & Acknowledgement of Country

In introducing the conference Ann Mari Jordens acknowledged the Eora people as the custodians of the land on which the conference was taking place.

She gave a broad-brush history of government policy in this area and stressed the importance of history in understanding our present.

Anne Marie pointed to three strategies that have been used by governments: building bridges (providing basic accommodation, some work, and language classes); demolishing road blocks (legislation, administrative practices); co-opting community assistance (good neighbour movement).

Much of this work has been lost through the 1990s.

Ann Marie also pointed us towards three responses to this situation: sharing solutions; pooling resources; building human bridges.

Opening of Conference

In formally opening the Conference Archbishop Hickey reminded us of the history of the Church's responses to the phenomena of immigration and forced migration, and more particularly, to immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees.

He reminded us that while Australians like to think of ourselves as being open and egalitarian, the reality is often something quite different. While there is much in our tradition of multiculturalism of which we can be rightfully proud, there are also warning signs indicating and more self-interested and closed mood.

Archbishop Hickey argued that while self-interest is never an adequate base for our migration policy, even in terms of self-interest alone, the balance sheet for immigration is "more black ink than red".

Archbishop Hickey encouraged us to not only examine the disadvantage and difficulties suffered by migrants and refugees and to work together to address them, but also to build bridges with Government. By this he did no mean being silent when we have deep justice concerns about government policy, but rather entering into real dialogue with government so as to encourage better policy.

Opening Address

Jason Yat-Sen Li provided a lively opening address covering a lot of territory from personal reflections on multiculturalism as a lived reality, to questions of identity, our maturity as a nation, and the republic debate, and the need to challenge myths.

Importantly he introduced refection on intangibles such as the underlying philosophy, soul, and spirituality of our nation.

He spoke of multiculturalism as being about inclusiveness and positively valuing difference rather than glossing it over or allowing it to become a focus for conflict. It is the difference that we all share that makes us one. In fact as Australians we live and breathe difference.

Cultures, as he explained are dynamic rather than static.

He urged us to work for a citizenship of participation rather than of identity where it is what we do rather than who we are that matters.

Jason pointed to three ways forward: lead by example; build cultural infrastructure that allows all cultures to participate in the making and remaking of Australian culture; reach out to the youth of the nation.

Welcome to Conference

In welcoming us to the conference, Bishop Dougherty, the new Chairman of the Bishops, Committee for Migrants, reminded us of the need to make room for others. The space that we offer should not make boarders of newcomers, but rather invite them into the common life of the family. This basic precept of hospitality is common to all religions.

He also offered us the symbol of spaghetti Bolognese, which perhaps, with so much meat, ought to be known as spaghetti Australian. Multiculturalism doesn't simply preserve cultures side by side in a static way, but rather creates all sorts of interesting new ways of doing and being.

Being a person of Asian descent, whose mother is from the Eurasian community in Malaysia, 1 could relate to that symbol because everything 1 ever learned to cook at home was fusion cooking, even before Ken Horn was on TV or there was a name for such cuisine.

Keynote Address

Neville Roach gave us a lively and engaging keynote address which challenged us to offer real and efFective leadership.

He reminded us of how language can be subverted, and how, despite our multicultural policies, pressure to assimilate is still brought to bear on those of us who are not of the dominant culture.

He stressed the inclusive nature of multiculturalism and the need for all the communities who have come here to work towards reconciliation with Australia's indigenous people.

Neville suggested that democracy is the foundation of multiculturalism. Certainly people have a right to speak their minds and criticize multiculturalism, but we also have the right to call them racists when they say outrageous racist things. Freedom of expression cuts both ways.

He spoke of the need for proactive multicultural policy in order to maximize the positive benefits of diversity for Australia. Who could disagree that the boardrooms of the nation would be better off with more Indians and fewer cowboys?

He affirmed the idea of a fair go, mateship, humour and irreverence for authority as positive "Australian values".

Neville challenged his own Church, the Catholic Church, to more positively value gender diversity. How can we really value cultural diversity when we don't even value equally women and men? As a co-author of the report Woman and Man: One in Christ Jesus on the participation of women in the Catholic Church in Australia, and as one of too few women in leadership positions in national Church agencies, I can only say Amen to that. We need men, including influential men like Neville, to stand with women to name this behaviour for the nonsense that it is.

The positive power of leadership was affirmed not only by Neville's words but also his actions and his effectiveness. His challenge to Church leaders was addressed to clergy and Bishops but it applies equally to the religious and laity.

Women in Multicultural Australia Panel

We heard three very different women speak in very different ways about the variety of practical actions being taken by women.

Pauline Rae didn't address us in an academic way, but her scholarship was not far from the surface of the analysis that she presented. She argued that religion is often exploited by anti religious groups to divide people for political and economic motives. Knowledge and understanding of each other's beliefs will unite us as all religions value tolerance, respect, and welcome to strangers.

The simple but fundamental work being done by the Women's Dialogue Network and the Muslim Women's National Network is truly inspiring. Yet again we see that the personal is political. These woman-to-woman links will change our society.

Maha Abdo's personal story demonstrated the great strength and initiative of so many Muslim women and challenges the stereotype of Muslim women as purely passive.

Very quietly and politely she challenged the Christian community to understand the impact of the helping hand not extended to Muslim women experiencing a lack of family support in a new land, struggles with a new language, strange laws and customs, fear, anxiety and depression.

Mary Excell is clearly a woman of great heart. 1 should have counted the number of individuals and families that she had been involved in assisting - but I'm sure there were also others that she didn't mention. They were not just cases or clients to Mary but friends and family. If we are able to exercise the virtue of hospitality it will take us to unexpected places and enrich our lives in so many ways.

Young People in Multicultural Australia Panel

Sometimes we can learn great wisdom from the young. They can see things freshly and speak honestly. They are courageous and energetic. They will lead us into our future but they need our support and assistance too.

Hang Vo spoke movingly of the difficulties of young Vietnamese people in Australia reminding us that culture is only one part of the whole. Some of the difficulties that young migrants and refugees experience are associated with normal lifecycle tasks of adolescence and young adulthood, whereas others are specifically impacted by, or complicated by ethnicity and migration or flight experiences. The question of fitting in struck a chord with me.

Myriam Baharai also spoke about settlement as an ongoing dynamic. She spoke very concretely about the intergenerational and cross-cultural conflicts that young migrants and refuges must negotiate. Young people and their parents may experience the same things differently, adapt differently or at different speeds. All of this brings stresses and strains in an already stressful situation.

David Hua informed us about a very concrete response being made to the needs of young migrants and refugees and demonstrated the willingness of young people themselves to be active participants in meeting these challenges.

The tuition offered by the monastery, being a truly religious enterprise, did not address education as being only a means to social and economic advancement, but also as a spiritual quest. The balance sought between compassion and loving kindness; wisdom; and hard work and determination is an excellent contribution to our community at this time.

Schools in Multicultural Australia Panel

Warren Hopley spoke with great enthusiasm about the program "Racism. No way! " He emphasized the underdevelopment of schools policies on racism compared to policies on bullying and has clearly been working hard to address this.

Trish Janu shared with us the practical values education work being done by the Bahhai community in State school scripture classes. Her positive and affirming approach was very respectful of the human dignity of children and their evolving capacities.

Madenia Abdhur Ahain's story of the animosity towards Muslims in Australia that she has experienced was upsetting but unfortunately not surprising. Muslims are perhaps the most misunderstood faith community in Australia.

Madenia explained, and I might say, demonstrated, the value placed on the acquisition of knowledge in Islamic culture. Such knowledge is a gift for the whole community as it enables the learner to practice their faith and participate in society. The outreaching nature of Madenia's school was very apparent.

Fighting Poverty Panel

Robert Fitzgerald is always an inspiring speaker, passionate, articulate and well informed.

Robert reminded us that the fight against poverty in multicultural Australia is a fight for social, economic and cultural participation, and against exclusion and marginalisation.

The things that we need to do to eliminate poverty are really basic:

provide adequate income support based on need

ensure access to sustainable employment

facilitate lifelong learning

provide access to affordable and appropriate housing

provide to everyone everywhere in the country access to health and community services

These things are basic but fundamentally difficult to achieve.

Robert also drew our attention to the urgent and acute needs of three groups: women of non-English speaking backgrounds who are victims of domestic violence; young male migrants from Indochinese communities; and migrants with disabilities.

In sum he urged a return to a respectful and compassionate society.

Patricia Ravalico, who gracefully took in her stride the interruption of her speech for the visit of the Minister, shared with us the recent experiences of the St Vincent de Paul Society.

She noted that migrants are second in disadvantage only to the indigenous peoples of this country. Both of these things are a matter of national shame. She juxtaposed this fact with the phenomena of "people with foreign sounding names" topping the University matriculation exams and concluded that: we do some things right; that underachievement is not genetic; and that culture is one factor only.

The kind of migration experience that a person had, and the category under which they were admitted to the country makes a difference. Asylum seekers and Temporary Protection Visa holders are in a different situation to business migrants or family reunion entrants.

Visit of the Minister for Immigration & Ethnic Affairs

And then there was our visit from the Minister.

The Minister would have us believe that our refugee and humanitarian commitment has not decreased. He would have us believe that there is something wrong with a "jurisprudential model - in other words with judicial review of administrative decisions and the rule of law. (An extraordinary position for a legislator in the Westminster tradition to state publicly!) He would have us believe that we haven't got enough resettlement places to go around. And he would have us believe that the integrity of our orderly refugee resettlement program is such an important end that it justifies using people as a means rather than respecting them as ends in themselves.

We need to work very hard on our dialogue with the Minister, as it was clear in the question time that he has little empathy for or understanding of our perspective on these issues.

Bill Maley, in his after dinner address, gave voice to the feeling of the group about the visit with great wit and wisdom.

Interfaith Worship

This morning's interfaith worship was a moving experience where we shared at a very deep level. To worship together is one of the most profound things that we can do.

Refugees in Multicultural Australia Panel

This morning we have heard from Margaret Piper on the 'big picture' for refugees and asylum seekers. She helped us to understand the place of the refugee convention, international law and practice, and domestic regulations affecting asylum seekers and refugees.

Sylvia Winton looked in more detail at the impact of these regulations on the lives o asylum seekers, and how the asylum seekers interagency has sought to assist them.

Mary Gavin shared her story of the practical pastoral engagement of local faith communities assisting refugees.

Workshops

We heard so much from so many excellent speakers that we were a bit relieved to get into workshop groups where we could have a good discussion and share our own experiences and knowledge. The reporting from the workshops reflected the richness of that dialogue.

Thanks

This conference was organized by the Australian Catholic Mgrant and Refugee Office and the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council. A lot of people worked hard to make this event happen.

Firstly, 1 would like to thank all of you who have participated. It was an accessibly priced conference at a venue that is accessibly priced for a reason! You coped cheerfully with being too cold, or too hot, and having to take nature walks between different parts of the venue pretty cheerfully!

Secondly, I'd like to thank all of our speakers and workshop leaders. What excellent input we've had! If the input hadn't been so good, we may have had an uprising by the end of yesterday afternoon after all that listening. Hard work, but worth it.

I'd like to thank Ann Mari Jordens, Felicity Donnelly and John Murphy from the ACMRO, who worked so hard planning the conference, and Joanne Little who has assisted with administration.

I'd like to thank Marg Zucker and Suzette Clark from my own team at the ACSJC for their assistance with registration and venue liaison. I think we all owe Suzette a particular round of applause for the quiet, calm and effective way she has served the practical needs of the community this weekend. It may not have been obvious this weekend that Suzette is also a fine researcher whose academic qualifications run to more than one A4 page - but she's not the kind of person who is too proud to do whatever is needful.

And finally, I'd like to thank the one member of my team who is not here this weekend, but without whom the

Conference wouldn't have gotten off the ground. Many of you would have spoken with Maureen Murphy on the phone. She did the bulk of the administrative work for this conference and she did so with her customary competence and good grace even as she was being given instructions from several directions! She's the salt of the earth and we couldn't do without her.

Go in Love and Peace

Papers from the Conference will be posted on the ACMRO website www.acmro.catholic.org.au. if you don't have internet access, give them a call and they'll print the papers off and post them to you.

We will post you a contact list of participants. Please call Maureen this week to let her know if you DO NOT want your name and address circulated on that list. If you do not contact us we will presume your consent.

At the end of the Roman Catholic liturgy there is a dismissal that I always love. I'd like to close this Conference with a variation on it.

The conference has ended, go back to your communities in peace to love and serve our God and our fellow human beings of all races, creeds and cultures.

Sandie Cornish

Chief Executive Officer

Australian Catholic Social Justice Council

9 July 2000