The federal opposition has expressed concern about the future of Commonwealth grants funding for non-English speaking communities.
The Minister for Social Services Kevin Andrews was asked in Senate Estimates whether the Coalition government would honour Labor's promise of funding for the Building Multicultural Communities Program into 2014.
Mr Andrews said this and other Commonwealth financial assistance grants would be subject to a review.
Labor's multicultural affairs spokeswoman, Michelle Rowland, says some non-government organisations that are dependent on federal government grants are worried about their ability to keep meeting the needs of ethnic communities if the money is cut.
“Multicultural communities are only as strong as their programs and their people allow them to be," she said.
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“I’ve seen local community pilot programs which have been targeted at young African people around Blacktown, for example, that have been extremely successful. These are not things that governments would have dreamed up, but at least they are being supported by different levels of government. I think it just shows the best outcomes are achieved with a grassroots focus.”
Ms Rowland said the Coalition's plans to focus on settlement services were not enough, pointing out that this was just one aspect of multiculturalism.
She also disagreed with the Coalition's stance of encouraging assmilation.
“My focus has always been about inclusiveness and empowerment - that people don’t feel like they are not wanted, they don’t feel like they are not needed in our communities, that they are valued for who they are.”
Ms Rowland is speaking to Ildi Amon.
(Click on audio tab above to hear the full interview)
