Media release: Labor Multicultural Engagement Taskforce report launch

Peter Khalil, Federal Labor MP for Wills, alongside Labor Leader Anthony Albanese MP and Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs Andrew Giles MP, will today launch the Labor Multicultural Engagement Taskforce (LMET) report.

The Taskforce was formed in late 2019 and engaged with multicultural stakeholders and community leaders across Australia for over 18 months and received more than 60 submissions to help inform how policies and services for Australia’s multicultural communities could be improved.

The report has put forward a number of policy recommendations for how a future Labor government would improve CALD access to government services and provide greater support to migrant-owned businesses.

One of the report’s recomendations is to establish a new CALD and Migrant focussed New Enterprise Incentive Scheme: Arrive and Thrive program to support new migrants and CALD communities in Australia in setting up small businesses. This would greatly increase access to government support by businesses owned by migrants and those from diverse backgrounds.

The report launch will take place at Melbourne’s Italian Museum in Carlton, and be attended by multicultural community leaders, multicultural media, those who engaged with the Taskforce and other stakeholders.

Commenting on the LMET report’s lauch Peter Khalil MP said : “As the son of Egyptian migrants who fled their home in search of a safer and brighter future, I understand what it’s like to grow up in a multicultural community. I know what it’s like to face prejudice, be confrunted by structural and casual racism, and to grapple with identiy and belonging.”

“Multiculturalism is about more than just food, festivals, and dancing. It goes to the core of our identity as a nation; who we are as a people.

“Migrants to Australia make a huge contribution to our communities and economy, with migrants twice as likely to start a business, and a third of small businesses owned by those born overseas.

“Even with this success in the business world, there are still structural barriers to Australians of diverse ethnic backgrounds across many other sectors of the economy.

“Despite accounting for roughtly a quarter of the Australian population, people of diverse ethnic backgrounds make up just a fraction of senior leaders in Australia. Fundementally our parliaments, universities, and corporate boardrooms are a closed shop.

“The report we’ve launched today is an important first step in building a more representative Australia, where people of diverse backgrounds feel as though no door is closed to them.”

You can watch my speech at the event here: