"Multiculturalism" in Oz was simply a lefty scheme to buy some ethnic votes.

It worked well for the lefties, & at destroying a previously reasonably well integrated society.

Hasbeen has it right. Multiculturalism is a lefty scheme. Sometimes the lefties get it right, and this is one of those times. Australia was a well integrated society for white Anglo-Christians. Calling people wogs, the white Australia policy and turning Jews away who were fleeing the Nazis are indications that it was neither a fair nor a generous society. The lefties have made a better Australia. Hurrah for the lefties.

Thank you, Foxy, David and Yuyutsu, for some realistic common-sense and empathy.

Even Josephus, too ;)

Can I respectfully suggest that anybody who doesn't like multiculturalism-as-democratic-right (but, of course, not multiculturalism as a pretext for apartheid), can go back to wherever their peasant ancestors came from.

Joe

Multiculturalism was set up in Australia in 1788 with the arrival of the multicultural First Fleet.

david f,

What do you see as the political and economic bases for the introduction of multiculturalism in Australia?

Australia's approach to immigration from federation
until the latter part of the 20th century in effect
excluded non-European immigration. The White Australia
policy as it was commonly described was slowly dismantled
by the Australian government after World War II.

The prevailing attitude to migrant settlement up until
this time was based on the expectation of assimilation.
That is, that migrants should shed their cultures and
languages and rapidly become indistinguisable from the
host population.

However from the mid 1960s until approx. 1973 when the
final vestiges of the White Australia policy were
removed policies started to examine the assumptions about
assimilation.

They recognized that large numbers of migrants - especially
those whose first language was not English experienced
hardships as they settled in Australia and required direct
assistance. They also recognized the importance of ethnic
organisations in helping with migrant settlement.

Expenditure on migrant assistance increased in the early 1970s
in response to those needs. By 1973 the term multiculturalism
had been introduced and migrant groups were forming state
and national associations to maintain their culture and
promote the survival of their languages and heritages
within mainstream institutions.

In 1975 at a ceremony proclaiming the Racial Discrimination
Act 1975, the Prime Minister referred to Australia as a
multicultural nation. The PM and the Leader of the Opposition,
made speeches demonstrating for the first time that
multiculturalism was becoming a major priority on both sides
of politics.

In 1978 - multiculturalism policies were
implemented. In 1979 Australian Parliament established the
Australian Institute of Multicultural Affairs.

This was a natural progression and part and parcel of the
evolvement of our nation which was supported by both sides of
politics, and which as a result has made us the nation that we
are today.

Outside Australia's Indigenous people, we are all immigrants
or descendants of immigrants - some earlier than others -
but all with an experience of immigration during the
foundation of modern Australia.