The ‘Greek Community of Melbourne and Victoria’ is a non-profit organisation representing the Greek migrants of the region – and also lays claims to be the oldest ethnic community group in Australia with a 120-year history.
A key concern raised by the group in its submission, is that the foundations of multiculturalism would be compromised if the proposed changes to the citizenship laws would succeed in Parliament.
“The changes favour those from English speaking backgrounds and raise questions of loyalty.”
“It’s unsettling because we believe the new changes to the legislation will marginalise many ethnic minorities,” says Kostas Markos, honorary General Secretary and Board member of the Greek Community of Melbourne and Victoria.
Markos says that proposed changes, especially the English language test, are unsettling.
“The changes favour those from English speaking backgrounds and raise questions of loyalty,” he tells SBS Greek.
“Does it mean that if you don’t speak the English language properly that you are not or can’t be a loyal citizen in this country?”
The Greek Community’s letter states that the proposed English language test is “far too stringent, excluding people from disadvantaged backgrounds from full participation in Australian society.”
Mr Markos believes that if the government’s proposals become law, they will signal a turn away from multiculturalism.
Kostas Markos, honorary General Secretary and Board member of the community group known as the Greek Community of Melbourne and Victoria Source: GOCMV
He says that the proposed changes were to go through they would be “potentially, changing the nature of the multicultural society – [so] it becomes in essence a monolingual society rather than a multilingual society.”
Also of concern for the Greek community is the proposed increase to the permanent residency requirement to four years, before you can apply for citizenship, up from one year under the current laws.
Bill Papastergiadis, president of the Greek Community of Melbourne commented that, “these changes go against the egalitarian nature of Australia’s multicultural society.”
The Greek Community also made a submission to the Senate Select Committee which examines issues of multiculturalism, in its recent sitting in Melbourne.
In its submission, apart from expressing its objections to the proposed changes on citizenship, the Greek Community proposes closer ties between the ethnic communities and, more importantly, regular consultations with the federal government and a continuous dialogue between the multicultural communities and government.
“We are seeking more consultation with the federal government on matters that pertain to multiculturalism, on matters that pertain to citizenship and we believe that particularly in this case, especially in the case of citizenship the federal government has failed,” says Kostas Markos.
The Greek Community has also urged the government to “reconsider the proposed changes to ensure that the values of fairness and mutual respect that we all live by continue to be upheld.”
