Cultural diversity: Australian Local Government Association

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From settlement through to citizenship, local government supports, welcomes and embraces the diverse experiences of all Australians. As the level of government closest to communities, local government plays a fundamental role in facilitating the inclusion and participation of our residents. Working in partnership with community groups, service providers and residents, local government plays an integral part in national and international efforts to understand and embrace cultural diversity.

Many local government areas have large numbers of constituents from different cultural, ethnic and linguistic backgrounds. This has seen the development of considerable expertise in inclusive decision making and improved access to migrant settlement, multicultural and citizenship services. Councils often have their own programs and staff dedicated to migrant issues, including in the fields of access and equity, health, childcare, employment skills, arts and libraries.

Access and equity: ALGA is committed to improving access and equity in local government. All members of the community wishing to participate in a local community have a right to fair equitable, and open access to programs and services provided by local councils.
Statistics and case studies: The Australian Government Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) provides a number of useful resources through their local government website for local governments responding to cultural diversity.
Strength in Diversity Award: The Strength in Diversity Award is the National award for local government for the category of community capacity building in the field of cultural diversity. It is one of the Australian Government's National awards for local government, the peak national awards that reward and highlight local councils' resourcefulness in finding better ways to deliver services and develop local solutions to complex and challenging problems. It recognises local initiatives that respond to, promote and/or harness benefits arising from migration, settlement, Australian citizenship, and our cultural diversity.
Transformations Conference 2005: In February 2005 ALGA co-convened the Transformations conference in conjunction with the Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia (FECCA), the Australian National University (ANU), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA).
Ministerial Councils: ALGA is a member of the Ministerial Council on Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (MCIMA). MCIMA meets once each year, and considers and resolves issues relating to Immigration and Multicultural Affairs. The associated Standing Committee on Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (SCIMA) is made up of officials from departments of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs from all levels of government and meets twice a year to make recommendations to the Ministerial Council.