Red Cross Diversity Report

Introduction

This report will discuss the Red Cross and its diversity policy. An overview of the policy will be identified and it’s key components examined. Australian Federal Government responses to diversity and Red Cross Australia will also be looked at. The impact of the diversity policy on Red Cross Australia will be analysed examining legal and ethical issues, the clients who use the service and some recommendations for improvement.

What is social policy?

Social policy is used as a kind of ethical answer to the question of ‘what do we as citizens owe to each other’ (Bessant, Watts, Dalton & Smyth, 2006). To make policy, policy makers do research – they read, hold meetings and give interviews. Governments then draft legislation
Red Cross Australia embraces the diversity of Australian society and believes the respect and acceptance are imperative in an equitable, multicultural society. The Red Cross has developed, with the Department of Immigration, a diverse Australia program, which celebrates diversity and encourages all young Australians to engage themselves with issues of multiculturalism. A range of activities has been designed to increase a mutual understanding between young Australians of varied backgrounds. These youth led projects are effective when it comes to encouraging this mutual understanding. Red Cross believes that every Australian has a rich cultural heritage and a story to tell, whether he/she is a recent arrival from Africa, an indigenous Australian, a 6th generation Anglo- Celtic, a Lebanese Australian or a Middle Eastern Australian. Red Cross is committed to contributing to the development of a culturally rich and resilient Australia. Barriers need to be overcome as in a community of respectful people everyone is able to practice their customs without fear or threat of not being accepted. Similarities and differences are encouraged (www.redcross.org.au). The Red Cross is committed to conducting quality social research, which strengthens their mission
In the 1950’s Australia encouraged immigration, though limiting it to whites only abiding by ‘The white Australia Policy’ for labour, which led to prosperity and the economic boom in the 60’s and early 70’s. However immigrants were encouraged to become indistinguishable from the Australian born population, continuing with total assimilation. Post the abolition of ‘The White Australia Policy’ in 1973 (www.aph.gov.au) and under both the Fraser and Hawke governments immigration continued into the 80’s and 90’s with cultural diversity, and multiculturalism being embraced as it was having a positive effect on the food and entertainment industries. There seemed to be a shift towards integration instead of assimilation. In the 1980s real progress was made in all aspects of multiculturalism with a lot of support through several non - profit organisations (NGOs), community organisations and the Australian Human Rights Commision (AHRC). Australia was actually known as having one of the most successful multicultural societies in the developed world with well over 100 distinct ethnic groups living together (Jamrozik, 2009). However over the last fifteen years there has been criticism of Australia’s multicultural policy in the both the public and political eye. This has been impacted by the concern of global