Australia’s newly appointed Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, David Coleman, has hailed multiculturalism and also acknowledged the contribution of migrants to the Australian society.
Celebrating Australia’s record as the world’s most successful immigration nation will be a key priority for the government, he said on Friday.
“Australia is stronger and more prosperous as a nation because of our multicultural heritage. We value people based on the contribution they make —irrespective of colour, religion, or ethnicity – and who embrace our national values and laws,” Minister Coleman said in a statement.
“Across Australia, we see the success of our multi-cultural society. We see hardworking families raising kids. We see small business owners, investing in Australia and creating thousands of jobs. We see religious leaders, professionals, community volunteers – people who help build the backbone of our nation.
An Indian family at a citizenship ceremony in Adelaide. Source: Supplied
“As the Morrison Government focuses on building Australia’s prosperity, one of my aims as Minister will be to continue to advocate for the right policies to ensure our nation continues to build on our immigration success story.
“In my Sydney electorate of Banks, nearly 40 per cent of people were born overseas and 45 per cent speak a language other than English at home. Every day I am reminded of how immigration has shaped our society, as well as contributing to our skills and culture.”
More than 160,000 migrants were welcomed to Australia in the 2017-18 program year, with nearly 70 per cent of those skilled migrants, contributing essential skills and innovation.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison (right) with the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, David Coleman (left) in Sydney. Source: AAP Image/Dean Lewins
Migrant business owners employ more than 1.4 million people and migration is set to contribute $1.6 trillion to Australia’s economy by 2050.
Starting the new role, Mr Coleman said he looked forward to meeting representatives from a diverse range of community groups as well as welcoming Australia’s newest citizens embarking on the final step in their migration journey.
“Australian citizenship is a privilege and it will be my pleasure to attend citizenship ceremonies and meet those migrants making this important commitment to our nation,” Mr Coleman said.
“In 2019, we will celebrate the 70th anniversary of Australian citizenship and I look forward to attending events across Australia in the lead up to this celebration.”
The statement, however, had no mention about government’s plan to settle some new migrants for up to five years outside Sydney or Melbourne, nor the citizenship changes likely to be brought back to the Parliament in the coming sitting.
