Essay

The Australian Government has implemented a number of policies and initiatives to promote equity and social inclusion in Australia. These strategies protect the vulnerable by providing them with essential services and opportunities that they would otherwise not have access to. This includes things like education, housing, and financial assistance. By promoting social inclusion, these strategies also help to break down barriers between different groups of people and promote understanding and tolerance. One of the key strategies is providing free or subsidised education and training to disadvantaged groups. This includes providing free primary and secondary education to all Australian children, and subsidised tertiary education for low-income and disadvantaged students. The Government has also introduced a number of financial assistance measures to help low-income households, such as the Low Income Household Rebate, which provides a rebate of up to $650 per year for low-income households. The Government has also implemented a number of initiatives to improve access to affordable housing. This includes the National Rental Affordability Scheme, which provides incentives for investors to build new rental properties that are affordable for low- and moderate-income households, and the First Home Owners Grant, which provides a one-off grant of $10,000 for first home buyers. The Government has also introduced a number of anti-discrimination laws, which protect people from discrimination on the basis of their race, ethnicity, sex, disability, age, or sexual orientation. The Government has also promoted social cohesion through initiatives such as multiculturalism, which celebrates the cultural diversity of Australia (Schiefer & van der Noll, 2016). The Government has also provided funding for organisations that promote social cohesion, such as the Australian Multicultural Foundation. The Government has also provided funding for programs that help people from disadvantaged backgrounds to participate fully in society. This includes the Indigenous Employment Program, which provides training and employment opportunities for Indigenous Australians, and the Newstart Allowance, which provides financial assistance to unemployed people. The Government has also worked with business and industry to create opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds. This includes the Australian Business Immigrant Program, which provides visas for skilled immigrants to live and work in Australia, and the Australian Workforce Participation Program, which helps businesses to employ people with disabilities (Lewis et al., 2019). The Government has also encouraged people from diverse backgrounds to participate in the public sector. This includes the Public Service Diversity Strategy, which aims to increase the representation of people from diverse backgrounds in the Australian Public Service, and the Australian Defence Force Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Entry Scheme, which provides opportunities for Indigenous Australians to join the Australian Defence Force. The Government has also promoted the value of cultural diversity in the media and other forums. This includes the Australia Day Council’s Harmony Day campaign, which celebrates the cultural diversity of Australia, and the National Multicultural Marketing Initiative, which provides funding for organisations to develop and implement marketing campaigns that promote cultural diversity (Beretta et al., 2018).

Some people may argue that Australia is egalitarian because it has a relatively high standard of living and a relatively low level of income inequality. Others may argue that Australia is not egalitarian because it has a history of discrimination against certain groups, such as Indigenous Australians and women. While there is always room for improvement, the strategies for promotion of multiculturalism, social inclusion and social cohesion by the Australian government have helped to make Australia a more equitable and inclusive society (Chesters, 2018).

References

homeaffairs.gov.au, A. (2022). Multicultural Affairs. Multicultural Australia. Retrieved October 29, 2022, from https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/mca

Jeanes, R., Spaaij, R., Magee, J., Farquharson, K., Gorman, S., & Lusher, D. (2022, May 11). Developing participation opportunities for young people with disabilit. Developing participation opportunities for young people with disabilities? Policy enactment and social inclusion in Australian junior sport. Retrieved October 29, 2022, from https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003274025-7/developing-participation-opportunities-young-people-disabilities-policy-enactment-social-inclusion-australian-junior-sport-ruth-jeanes-ram%C3%B3n-spaaij-jonathan-magee-karen-farquharson-sean-gorman-dean-lusher