Appendices

The Plan uses the term ‘cultural competency’ for multicultural communities.

Cultural competency involves a set of congruent behaviours, attitudes and policies that come together in a system, agency or among professionals. It enables that system, agency or those professionals to work effectively in cross-cultural situations.⁴⁹ Cultural competence offers a framework through which to improve service delivery to people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. This framework enables people to assess and make improvements to every aspect of an organisation, from management and governance structures to service delivery and staff development. It helps ensure all people receive safe, high-quality and culturally appropriate health care.⁵⁰

To become more culturally competent, a system needs to:

• value diversity
• have the capacity for cultural self-assessment
• be conscious of the dynamics that occur when cultures interact
• institutionalise cultural knowledge
• adapt service delivery so it reflects an understanding of the diversity between and within cultures.⁵¹

The term ‘culturally and linguistically diverse’ with the associated acronym ‘CALD’, is currently used by Australian governments, the public and private sector and in research and academic institutions to describe populations other than the Anglo-Celtic majority. There is increasing academic and community debate about the usefulness of the term ‘CALD’. For example, the Federation for Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia⁵² now use the term ‘culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse backgrounds’ to recognise race/ethnicity.

In line with the Victorian Government’s Better practice guide for multicultural communities,⁵³ this plan uses the term ‘multicultural communities’.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural safety is defined as an environment that is safe for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, where there is no assault, challenge or denial of their identity and experience.⁵⁴

In a health service context, it includes several elements to consider:

• individual staff knowledge and respect for self (reflection on knowledge, bias, learning journey)
• knowledge and respect for Aboriginal people and culture
• organisational reflection, a commitment to organisational review and system redesign to eliminate racism and discrimination.

The term ‘migrant’ is used to describe a person who has entered Australia through a variety of pathways, including through humanitarian, family and skilled migration pathways, with the purpose of establishing a permanent or semi-permanent residence in Australia.

In comparison with refugees and people seeking asylum, ‘migrants’ choose to move to Australia, mainly to improve their lives, and can usually return home safely.

The plan uses the term ‘multicultural communities’ to describe the vast number of diverse cultural, racial and ethnic groups who live in Victoria. We chose this word because it is succinct and broadly inclusive and recognises the different lived experiences of:

• migrants from new and emerging communities who have recently arrived in Victoria
• people from refugee backgrounds and people seeking asylum
• people who speak languages other than English or who speak English with an accent
• people who follow a broad range of religious and spiritual practices.

The term ‘new and emerging’⁵⁵ identifies communities of migrants and refugees that have recently arrived in Australia and may need extra support during settlement. The main identifiers of a new and emerging community are:

• a lack of established family networks, support systems, community structures and resources
• unfamiliarity with universal services and challenges in accessing services
• limited English language proficiency, high numbers of refugees, low levels of formal education, financial vulnerabilities and difficulty in finding long-term and sustainable employment.

The terms ‘person seeking asylum’ or ‘people seeking asylum’ are used to describe people who have entered Australia by plane usually under a valid visa or by boat usually without a visa and subsequently sought protection to stay in Australia based on refugee claims. They are known as people seeking asylum while their refugee status is being determined. People seeking asylum live in the community on bridging visas, in community detention or in immigration detention facilities in Australia or offshore.

Note that the department uses ‘person seeking asylum’ not ‘asylum seeker’ to use person-first language that puts the person before the description of their experience.

Temporary migrants come to Australia for a temporary stay for a range of purposes such as tourism, study, skilled work, working holidays or other specialist activities. This group includes international students, working visa holders, skilled migrants and women on provisional spouse visas.

Temporary migrants’ level of health access and entitlements is more limited because they are ineligible for Medicare, Commonwealth income support and Low Income Health Care Cards, making affordability a significant issue.

United Nations declarations and conventions that Australia is a signatory to:

• Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination(1965)
• International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966).

The Racial Discrimination Act 1975 states that it is unlawful to discrimination against people on the basis of race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin.

The Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 gives effect to Australia’s obligations international conventions and declarations.

The Multicultural Victoria Act 2011 provides the whole-of-government framework that recognises and values cultural, racial, religious and linguistic diversity of people living in Victoria. The Act requires all Victorian Government departments to develop and implement cultural diversity plans.

The Equal Opportunity Act 2010 states that all Victorian departments and service providers have a positive duty under this Act to take reasonable and proportionate measures to identify and eliminate discrimination.

The Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 sets out the basic rights of people living in Victoria to live with freedom, respect, equality and dignity. It requires public authorities to act compatibly with the Charter.

The Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001 prohibits behaviours that incite or encourage hatred, serious contempt, revulsion or severe ridicule against another person or group of people because of their race and/or religion.

Victorian. And proud of it: Victoria’s multicultural policy statement 2017 sets out the government’s vision and commitment to multiculturalism.

The Victorian African communities action plan 2018–28 outlines actions to build inclusive communities, improve outcomes and create sustainable opportunities for people with African heritage living in Victoria.