Multicultural Policy and Planning in NSW
New South Wales is one of the most culturally diverse States in Australia. People from around 200 birthplaces have made the State their home; in addition, at least one in five people speak a language other than English at home (see The People of New South Wales for an analysis of ethnicity data from the latest Census).
For over 35 years, the NSW Government has led Australia and the world in responding to this diversity, initially to address ‘access and equity’ issues faced by people from non-English speaking backgrounds, and more recently to recognise and celebrate the social, cultural and economic contribution that results from multiculturalism.
Since 1983, NSW government agencies have been required to plan for a culturally, linguistically and religiously diverse community. They do so through the Multicultural Policies and Services Program (MPSP).
Today, multicultural governance in NSW is based on a framework of State legislation [Principles of Multiculturalism], NSW government policy and frameworks [MPSP program], and planning and implementation by individual agencies. How does it all fit together.
An external review in 2008-09 found NSW to have the most effective example of multicultural governance, both within Australia and internationally [p.62, 25 Years of EAPS: Review of EAPS Operation in New South Wales].