Multiculturalism in Australia
–Today and Tomorrow
Abstract: Australia is a multicultural society. Since World War II, approximately 6 million immigrants from over 150 countries have settled in Australia. According to the 2006 Census, 24 percent of Australians were born overseas, and an additional 20 percent have either one or both parents born overseas. These percentages are among the highest in the developed world. Australians speak approximately 200 languages and have a variety of different religions. According to the data, we have to acknowledge that today’s Australia has actually done a great job in creating such a harmonious society. The success can be shown in several aspects, which will be mentioned in details. The current situation is quite satisfying and is accepted by almost the world. However, despite of its peace, development and prosperities, the nation is facing a lot of potential challenges in the future. How to meet these challenges? And what is the future? Who knows! But what we must keep in mind is that it needs everyone’s effort. For Australia there is a long way to go.
Key words: Australian multiculturalism, success, challenges, measures
摘要：澳大利亚是一个多元文化社会。从二战以来，大约有来自150多个国家的600万的移民来此定居。根据2006reference group年的人口普查，我们可以发现，24%的澳大利亚人出生自海外，另外20%的人的父母一方或者双方出生在国外。这些都位列发达国家数据最高的行列当中。根据这些数据，我们不得不承认现在的澳大利亚在改造一个和谐社会方面确实做的很好。它的成功将体现在几个方面，下文会一一解说。现状确实很乐观，而且这种状况在全世界人的眼里是非常好的一个现象。然而除了看到它的和平、发展与繁荣昌盛，我们也会看到这个国家正在面临着很多潜在的挑战。如何迎接这些挑战？将来会是什么样？这谁都不知道。整个国家都需要努力。这对于澳大利亚来说还有很长一段路要走。
关键词：澳大利亚的多元文化 成功之处 挑战 措施
Introduction
Australia is a multicultural society. Since World War II, approximately 6 million immigrants from over 150 countries have settled in Australia. According to the 200
6 Census, 24 percent of Australians were born overseas, and an additional 20 percent have either one or both parents born overseas. These percentages are among the highest in the developed world. Australians speak approximately 200 languages and have a variety of different religions. The society now contains a rich variety of cultures represented in art, literature, music, dress, sport and food. It is one of the great triumphs of recent Australian history that so many people with such diversity of culture and history have been absorbed so peacefully into Australian society. Duncan, Leigh, Madden and Tynan in Imagining Australia argue that the real achievement has been in the Australian suburbs. It is ordinary Australians, they say, with their fundamental sense of tolerance, decency and willingness to give newcomers a fair go that have lived side by side with wave after wave of new migrants and made multiculturalism work.
Multiculturalism in Australia
A practical aspect of the Australian Government’s commitment to diversity is its na
tional multicultural policy. The policy provides a framework for strengthening community harmony and promoting the economic, cultural and social benefits of Australia’s cultural diversity for all Australians. We must admit that Australian multiculturalism not only embraces the heritage of indigenous Australians, early European settlement, their Australian-grown customs and traditional and experiences of new migrants coming to it, but also promotes mutual respect and equality, aiming to enhance social attachment and Australia’s capacity to withstand both external and domestic tension.
In Australia, its multicultural policies affirms that Australians have the opportunity to be active and equal participants in society, and are free to maintain their religious and cultural traditions within Australian law.  For example, whether on a collective or an individual level, people need to believe that there is a place for them in Australia’s economic and social future—without having to sacrifice their cultural or religious identity. But it does not mean that people have free rein to do as they please under the guise of their culture or religion.
All Australians must be united by a commitment to a shared future, an overriding loyalty to the nation, its democratic institutions and values, and support for the rule of law with English as a common language. Because Australia’s multicultural policies and programs are designed to foster community acceptance and harmony, groups from schools through to the wider community participate in practical and educational activities focused on cultural awareness and acceptance.
As mentioned above, there are other benefits of multiculturalism for Australia – they are not only considerably richer in experiences, but they enjoy much closer economic and social links with other nations as a direct result of our diverse multicultural population.
Australia: successful in multiculturalism
As the question “As a nation, how do we build unity from diversity?” is raised, there is no doubt that the answer is Australian multiculturalism. The fact shows that Australia succeeds in creating rather a harmonious society in the following fiv
e aspects.
Firstly, contrary to the predictions of its early critics, in diversifying their social fabric, multiculturalism has strengthened that fabric and its social cohesion. People felt secure in their new adopted environment, and this enhanced their desire to be full members of Australian society and enhanced their ability to participate as full members of Australian society quickly. They have maintained their social cohesion under stress. The best example of this is the Gulf War of199l.
Secondly, under multiculturalism, Australia generally has low levels of racial violence and discrimination experience of genocidal acts against the Aboriginal people for which they have yet to apologize. And despite the fact that they still have racism institutionalized in our Constitution -see Section 25 of our Constitution.

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