Labor’s second annual Multicultural Statement, launched today, highlights the inequities and failures of the Morrison Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Morrison Government left multicultural communities behind, failing to take the necessary actions to keep everyone in our community safe and informed. As a result, multicultural communities have been left overexposed to the detrimental health, economic and social effects of COVID-19.
Evidence for this is all too clear. Tragically, recently released ABS figures reveal people born outside of Australia have an age-standardised COVID-19 mortality rate of more than double that of people born in Australia.
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed gaps in our policy framework - gaps that require a better response from the Commonwealth.
Overcoming barriers to participation and discrimination in Australian society won't happen by accident - we need real plans for genuine action.
Labor believes that multiculturalism is one of Australia's greatest achievements, and is committed to realising the benefits of diversity for our nation and all Australians.
The 2021 Multicultural Statement is the second annual report examining what national government is doing and could be doing for Australia's multicultural communities, and for a country in which no one is held back and no one is left behind.
Federal Labor is strongly committed to engaging with multicultural communities, and the input of Anne Aly MP and Senator Raff Ciccone, Chair and Secretary of Labor’s Multicultural Policy Caucus Committee respectively, has been central to this year’s Statement.
To read the Labor’s 2021 Multicultural Statement visit: https://www.andrewgiles.com.au/labors-multicultural-statement/