Since introducing the Racial Discrimination Act in 1973, the Australian Labor Party (ALP) has championed multicultural policy as a cornerstone of Australian values and social cohesion.

The Multicultural Engagement Taskforce was launched in December 2019 to engage multicultural Australia to help inform, with as many voices as possible, Federal Labor’s policies and the role of multiculturalism in social cohesion and Australian identity.

The Taskforce undertook consultation throughout 2020 and concluded its consultation in December 2020.

Through consultations we explored the following areas, as outlined in our Terms of Reference:

• Quality of access to Commonwealth government services.
• Current support provided in the areas of small business, entrepreneurship and innovation.
• Barriers and needs regarding access to Commonwealth government services, networking and partnership opportunities that help link community groups to Commonwealth government services.

We welcomed submissions in all forms including in writing, audio or video and in any language. We were grateful to receive more than 60 submissions from groups and individuals with input into how we could improve policies and services for Australia’s multicultural communities.

We encourage you to read the Report of the Multicultural Engagement Taskforce for more information on the issues identified through the consultation and the recommendations of the Taskforce.