Modern multicultural Australia must strengthen the ties that bind our diverse groups: Julian Hill

Assistant Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs minister Julian Hill has warned Australia needs to strengthen the “bridging social capital” that holds our diverse society together, or risk further fragmentation.

In a speech on Wednesday to the McKell Institute canvassing the challenges to Australia’s multiculturalism, Hill has also floated a proposal to ensure children attending faith-based schools or home schooled would mix outside their faith groups throughout their education.

Based on a policy operating in Singapore, it would be driven by state governments and local authorities, and bring together the children in sporting, social and other activities.

Hill said Australians’ rights to express their cultural heritage and identities were not absolute, but came with obligations.

“Obligations for everyone include: one, a shared and unifying commitment to Australia first and foremost; two, acceptance of the basic structures and principles of Australian society including the constitution, tolerance, parliamentary democracy, equality and English as the national language; and three, accepting the right of others to express their views and values”, Hill said.

In a strong message to his own side of politics Hill, who is from the Left faction, said:

“One challenge for the progressive Left with our instinctive values-based focus on rights, is to remember that there are limits to cultural expression, and to champion the obligations that come with being Australian”.

He said it was a myth for people to claim most migrants did not integrate. “They overwhelmingly do. But the trap for progressives is to fail to acknowledge that concerns are real, and to act when genuine issues arise”.

Many decent people had attended the “Marches for Australia”, protesting against the level of immigration, or may vote for One Nation, and good people were peddled lies on social media, Hill said.

“They deserve to be listened to, rather than dismissed: the economic concerns of frankly ‘pissed off’ people or worries about integration are real.”

“Progressives must also not be scared to call out unacceptable cultural practices or expressions that breach core tenets of modern Australian multiculturalism,” he said.

These included, for example, extremely culturally conservative gender segregation in pockets of newly arrived communities, and forced marriages.

“To be clear, this is not religious, these are cultural issues against Australian values. Women have the right to participate freely and be seen and heard in every part of Australian society.”

Abuse of gay children in some schools by some newly arrived migrants from multiple countries and faith groups “is completely unacceptable,” Hill said. “Queer Australians have the same rights as anyone else, and gay kids should be free to be themselves without fear of abuse.”

Hill said that aside from such specific examples of unacceptable behaviour, “a systemic risk is that super-diverse societies may break into separate groups.

"Diversity alone in modern Australia is not and cannot be a sufficient goal. Successful multiculturalism means cherishing communal identities, building bridges between diverse groups and celebrating things we all have in common.

"It is social distance, misinformation and polarisation that create a lack of empathy and vulnerability to hate and extremism, not diversity itself.”

Hill distinguished between two categories of social capital: “bonding” and “bridging”. The former was found within groups or communities, while “intercultural thinking” is all about bridging social capital.

“Overemphasising communal identities risks atomising society and degrading the links between people and groups as well as the things Australians have in common.

"Hence we need to critically reflect and intentionally focus on the relational dimension between groups in Australian society – the intercultural piece – to enhance empathy and mutual respect.”

Hill said that in some areas, institutions and systems militated against intercultural connections and deeper social cohesion.

One big question was the growth in faith-based schools, and home schooling. “It is increasingly possible to grow up in Australia from Prep to year 12 without ever really mixing outside your faith or even ethnic group.”

Over the last seven years the proportion of students attending a school with a religious affiliation had reached nearly 34%. Meanwhile home schooling grew in the last five years by 116% in New South Wales, 85% in Victoria and 232% in Queensland.

Hill stressed he was not arguing against faith-based schools but said it was “worth reflecting on the implications and whether systemic responses are needed to strengthen bridging capital”, such as the Singapore scheme.

“Singapore is strongly focused on building and renewing intercultural and inter-religious trust, understanding and communication. Aiming to safeguard economic growth in a labour-scarce city with a high migrant workforce, and to prevent social fragmentation and inter communal tensions which could undermine stability and progress.

"Not all aspects of course of Singapore’s approach are relevant to Australia, but it’s an interesting case study to reflect on.

"Done well, intercultural initiatives will resonate with Australians, and over time should foster reduced prejudice and social polarisation, stronger integration and trust between communities and institutions, and greater resilience to hate-based violence and misinformation.”

Hill said that in the past most multicultural societies were autocratic, and most democracies monocultural.

“So in a sense we are a recent experiment in how to make a remarkably diverse democracy work. And we have absolutely made it work.

"Indeed, our human diversity is modern Australia’s defining characteristic and surely our greatest strength. But Australia cannot ever take our social cohesion or success for granted. Cohesion is not an end state; it is a dynamic process that requires constant attention, work and investments.”