K. Dunn et al., The local politics of difference: an examination of intercommunal relations policy in Australian local government, ENVIR PL-A, 33(9), 2001, pp. 1577-1595
A national survey of multicultural policy reveals that attempts by Australi
an local government to foster good intercommunal relations between cultural
groups are poorly developed. Local government authorities (known as 'counc
ils') limited their involvement to supporting festivals and information pro
vision campaigns, often aimed at building Anglo-Celtic tolerance of other g
roups. Most community relations projects and policies were forms of exotic
or assimilatory multiculturalism, rather than radical multiculturalism. Ver
y few had developed policies to confront racism. Even those councils in are
as with acknowledged interethnic discord were found to be reticient to inte
rvene in local intercommunal relations. Some Australian councils celebrated
and responded to the diversity of their citizenry. However, many failed to
recognise heterogeneity and constructed certain minorities as a problemati
c 'other'. Good local government practice involves the development of a com
prehensive community relations policy. Such policy should be set within the
wider context of recasting governance to encourage further involvement of
the full range of local citizenry.