The Multiculturalism Fairytale

The Multiculturalism Fairytale

Who are we in Australia? What are our social origins? How should these origins influence us today? How should we build upon them in shaping a better and more just future? Is the process to be one of steady evolution or noisy revolution?

This quote is from the late Australian politician Al Grassby, who was Minister for Immigration in the Whitlam government 1972. It was he, that introduced the word "multiculturalism" to Australian society. This speech is simply a tribute to multiculturalism.

Should we be thankful. I strongly believe so.

True story, I woke up one week ago on Tuesday, ready to sit for my Australian History assesment task, it was on Changing rights and freedoms-indigenous Australians and migrants. During the day apart from paniking, visiting the bathroom an unsual amount of times and attempting to do literal last minute cramming of dates and important events, I thought screw it, pardon my french I’m not going to remember anything a week later, this test has no impact on my life, it may on my grades but not on my life. Boy was I wrong because I wouldn’t be standing here, jokes aside, it was after the 55min of intense brain activity that I picked up my History textbook when one word hit me-multiculturalism. M-u-l-t-i-c-u-l-t-u-r-a-l-i-s-m. I had learnt something in Australian History.

What was it that made the word a magnet to my brain I think it was the realisation that I was hungry. Ladies and Gentleman, picture Castle Towers food court, Sidhus North Indian Express, Ho’s chinese dragon, MCP-Mexican Crepes and Potatoes, the greatly commercialised Pizza Hut and McDonalds, Alla Turca, Sushi Bar. Without people from all different parts of the world settling in Australia we would certainly not have the amount of choice avaliable to develop a fast food appetite. The changes to Australian society caused by multicultural influences are not confined to food. Across the country there are now many ethnic comminities that seek to preserve their cultural heritage. There are over 100 ethnic newspapers published in Australia in some forty different languages, and multicultural television (SBS) is avaliable as well as many ethnic programs on special radio stations.

I would like to take this opportunity to tell you all a fairy tale of our country.

Once upon a time and a long time ago, from the early days of white settlement