ANDREW GILES MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR MULTICULTURAL AFFAIRS
SHADOW MINISTER FOR CITIES AND URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE
SHADOW MINISTER ASSISTING FOR IMMIGRATION AND CITIZENSHIP
MEMBER FOR SCULLIN

All Australians need to be kept informed of Coronavirus measures, particularly our multicultural communities.

Unfortunately, the Department of Health website currently only provides translations on COVID-19 in just 14 languages other than English.

Around 300 languages are spoken in Australia and around 20% of households speak a language other than English at home.

The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services provides translations 48 languages and SBS is providing vital information on the virus in 63 languages.

Why can’t the Federal Department of Health provide more in-language factual information about coronavirus?

In a multicultural society like modern Australia, vital information must be accessible to everyone.

This is particularly important if we are to come together to combat COVID-19. People need to be to able to understand social distancing measures and the basics of how to protect themselves from coronavirus.

Labor will continue to engage constructively with the Morrison Government on this - that’s why we wrote to Ministers Tudge and Hunt on this matter on 17th March 2020. More needs to be done urgently.