The B'nai B'rith Anti-Defamation Commission (ADC), a Jewish, national, anti-racism organisation, has submitted a highly critical response to the National Multicultural Advisory Council (NMAC) Issues Paper, "Multicultural Australia: The Way Forward". The ADC paper warned that unless criticism accepted and acted upon "Australia could confront, in terms of multiculturalism, a regression to the 1960s and 1970s."

The ADC report expressed serious concern about the possible revision of the term "multiculturalism" stating "that change in this term would imply a shift away from tolerance and diversity embodied in the term multiculturalism."

Concern was also expressed  with the NMAC view that there may be a contradiction between multiculturalism and Australian values.

The ADC report said the view regarding funding for multicultural activities expressed in the NMAC paper was "to fundamentally misunderstand" that these programs do not confer privileges but ensure equality of access, equity of services and cultural enrichment.

The ADC also challenged the NMAC's choice of terminology by limiting the definition of multiculturalism to cultural and linguistic factors when they should extend to "ethnic diversity".

The ADC also found that the NMAC report fell short of protecting multiculturalism, saying "the need of respecting cultural diversity is not enough; the message must extend to racial intolerance and equality of rights" through protection against discrimination.

In advising how government can have a role in promoting cultural diversity the ADC said, "The Government must be at the forefront of modelling a non-discriminatory language and ways of thinking that powerfully affirm equality of treatment and racial tolerance".  In addition to calling for Government funding for multicultural programs the ADC proposed a number of ways in which Australians can best be made aware of the benefits of multiculturalism and how social cohesion can be best advanced.

Academic authorities in the area of anti-racism were consultants to the ADC on preparation of the paper.

For any further information contact the Anti-Defamation Commission.