THE director of Brisbane archdiocese’s Centre for Multicultural Pastoral Care has warned of the potential danger of increased polarisation in the Australian community following recent Federal Government policy changes.
Clyde Cosentino said moves by the new Immigration Minister, Kevin Andrews, backing away from multiculturalism and proposals to cut the intake of refugees from Horn of Africa nations, including Sudan, signalled a trend of “integration” underlying the Government’s commitment to newly arrived migrants and refugees.
However, Mr Cosentino said, going solely down this path might, ironically, lead to a trend of polarisation of ethnic communities.
“It is a notion that does not foster respect or equality – values that we pride ourselves on in Australia,” he said.
“Furthermore, it may lead to discrimination of persons who might choose to live within their cultural and traditional framework, even though they may actually be actively participating and ‘integrating’ into the Australian community.”
Mr Cosentino said policy driven by a desire for migrants to integrate into the broader community would divide rather than unite the wider community.
