Australia. Office of Multicultural Affairs.

Also known as
Australia. Dept. of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Office of Multicultural Affairs.
Office of Multicultural Affairs. (1987-1995)
Office of Multicultural Affairs (Australia).
OMA.
Function
Government Agency
Libraries Australia
http://nla.gov.au/anbd.aut-an35247086
NLA Persistent Identifier
http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-491420

Biographies

The Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) was a division of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. It was established early in 1987 to advise the Prime Minister directly on issues relating to Australian multicultural society. The purpose of the office was to be that of a 'bridge-builder', linking community and government to further the policy of multiculturalism. To that end, it had a liaison and Community Information Branch and a Policy and Research Branch. The focus of the community information program was on building upon research undertaken and evaluating ongoing projects. Although most staff were located in Canberra, there were Regional Coordinators in each State and in the Northern Territory, so there was some attention to decentralised services. In early 1995 the functions of the OMA were to be transferred to the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs. For administration purposes, OMA officially ceased to be part of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet on 26 January 1995.

The Office of Multicultural Affairs aimed to:

The OMA's first head, Peter Shergold, adopted the view that, as a bridgebuilder, the agency would be best served by appointing community workers to the regional coordinators' positions. It is said that he believed that is was easier to teach community advocates how to be bureaucrats than it was to teach bureaucrats how to liaise with the community. This type of thinking led to Beryl Mulder being appointed to the position of Regional Coordinator for the Northern Territory. It also led to innovative programs, such as employing bilingual officers to run the OMA's consultative programs. This meant that consultations could be managed in community languages, but reports could be written in English. This process resulted in a series of Policy Options Papers, many of which informed debate about access and equity to services for women of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

View the full record at Australian Women's Register

Related people and organisations

Resources for Australia. Office of Multicultural Affairs.

Selected resources (3)

Australian Women's Register

  1. Dr Peter Shergold, Foundation Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs, looks at the role of the Office, and ethnic support.Making Multicultural Australia and Training; Information Services Branch of the Office of the Board of Studies NSW. Multicultural Programs Unit of the Department of Education : Dr Peter Shergold, Foundation Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs, looks at the role of the Office, and ethnic support.
    Shergold, Peter
    Published: Office of the Board Of Studies New South Wales
    Series: http://www.multiculturalaustralia.edu.au/library/library.php?mediaCode=vid&mode=Category&myOption=Interview
  2. Issues for non-English speaking background women in Multicultural Australia/ Australian Office of Multicultural Affairs Policy Options Papers SeriesNational Agenda for a Multicultural Australia Association of Non-English Speaking Background Women of Australia and the Office of Multicultural Affairs 47 : Issues for non-English speaking background women in Multicultural Australia/ Australian Office of Multicultural Affairs Policy Options Papers Series
    Eliadis, Maria; Colanaro Rosetta and Roussos, Patricia
    [1988]
    Published: Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
  3. National Archives of Australia, Sydney Office: Correspondence files, Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet, annual single number series (May 1988 - Jan 1995)
    This series consists of correspondence files of the Office of Multicultural Affairs in Tasmania. They detail the liaison of the Office with the Central Office of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and with the State Government, Tasmanian ethnic groups and other agencies. Upon closing of the Office in 1995 the files were transferred to the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs. Information found on file includes administration of Committees and projects, information from outside agencies and groups, planning matters, reports and miscellaneous correspondence, finance matters, requests for information, staffing, accommodation, stores and services matters and policies and issues relating to the ethnic communities of Tasmania. There are no known index cards for this series. These records were originally held in the Hobart office of the NAA and were transferred to the NAA, Chester Hill, NSW in February 2005.
    P2681

Resources by Australia. Office of Multicultural Affairs. (432)

  1. Consultation report (Australia. Office of Multicultural Affairs)
    Australia. Office of Multicultural Affairs
    [ Periodical : 1988-2012 ]
    At 6 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 63.501)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 63.501)

  2. National Agenda for a Multicultural Australia : sharing our future / Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Office of Multicultural Affairs
    Australia. Office of Multicultural Affairs
    [ Book, Article : 0-2010 ]
    At 90 libraries
    National Agenda for a Multicultural Australia : sharing our future / Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Office of Multicultural Affairs
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 53.456)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 53.456)

  3. Focus (Office of Multicultural Affairs)
    Australia. Office of Multicultural Affairs
    [ Periodical : 1980-2012 ]
    At State Library of QLD
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 51.083)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 51.083)

  4. Making it happen : access and equity at work around Australia / Office of Multicultural Affairs, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
    Australia. Office of Multicultural Affairs
    [ Book : 1991 ]
    At 71 libraries
    Making it happen : access and equity at work around Australia / Office of Multicultural Affairs, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 49.262)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 49.262)

  5. Achieving access and equity : a second edition guide for the Australian Public Service / Office of Multicultural Affairs
    Australia. Office of Multicultural Affairs
    [ Book : 1994 ]
    At 72 libraries
    Achieving access and equity : a second edition guide for the Australian Public Service / Office of Multicultural Affairs
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 48.288)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 48.288)

  6. National Agenda for a Multicultural Australia : the year in review, August 1989 - July 1990 / Dept. of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Office of Multicultural Affairs
    Australia. Office of Multicultural Affairs
    [ Book, Article : 0-2010 ]
    At 67 libraries
    National Agenda for a Multicultural Australia : the year in review, August 1989 - July 1990 / Dept. of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Office of Multicultural Affairs
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    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 40.211)

  7. Access and Equity Plan 1993-1995 : Tourism portfolio / Office of Multicultural Affairs, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
    Australia. Office of Multicultural Affairs
    [ Book : 1993 ]
    At 25 libraries
    Access and Equity Plan 1993-1995 : Tourism portfolio / Office of Multicultural Affairs, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
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  8. Multicultural policies and programs : an overview / Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Office of Multicultural Affairs
    Australia. Office of Multicultural Affairs
    [ Book, Article : 0-2010 ]
    At 76 libraries
    Multicultural policies and programs : an overview / Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Office of Multicultural Affairs
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 37.548)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 37.548)

  9. Starting out : a report on the first consultations of the Office of Multicultural Affairs / prepared by Loucas Nicolaou
    Nicolaou, Loucas
    [ Article : 1988 ]
    At 26 libraries
    Starting out : a report on the first consultations of the Office of Multicultural Affairs / prepared by Loucas Nicolaou
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 37.155)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 37.155)

  10. Access and equity annual report / Office of Multicultural Affairs, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
    Australia. Office of Multicultural Affairs
    [ Article : 1993-2013 ]
    Possibly online
    At 45 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 36.765)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 36.765)

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Resources about Australia. Office of Multicultural Affairs. (23)

  1. Consultation report (Australia. Office of Multicultural Affairs)
    Australia. Office of Multicultural Affairs
    [ Periodical : 1988-2012 ]
    At 6 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 61.737)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 61.737)

  2. Focus (Office of Multicultural Affairs)
    Australia. Office of Multicultural Affairs
    [ Periodical : 1980-2012 ]
    At State Library of QLD
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 50.124)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 50.124)

  3. Access and Equity Plan 1993-1995 : Tourism portfolio / Office of Multicultural Affairs, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
    Australia. Office of Multicultural Affairs
    [ Book : 1993 ]
    At 25 libraries
    Access and Equity Plan 1993-1995 : Tourism portfolio / Office of Multicultural Affairs, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 37.567)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 37.567)

  4. Starting out : a report on the first consultations of the Office of Multicultural Affairs / prepared by Loucas Nicolaou
    Nicolaou, Loucas
    [ Article : 1988 ]
    At 26 libraries
    Starting out : a report on the first consultations of the Office of Multicultural Affairs / prepared by Loucas Nicolaou
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 36.094)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 36.094)

  5. Access and equity annual report / Office of Multicultural Affairs, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
    Australia. Office of Multicultural Affairs
    [ Article : 1993-2013 ]
    Possibly online
    At 45 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 35.074)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 35.074)

  6. The Office of Multicultural Affairs : an introduction
    Australia. Office of Multicultural Affairs
    [ Book : 1988-1990 ]
    At 13 libraries
    The Office of Multicultural Affairs : an introduction
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 24.015)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 24.015)

  7. Guide to publications : Office of Multicultural Affairs, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
    Australia. Office of Multicultural Affairs
    [ Book : 1990 ]
    At 6 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 20.089)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 20.089)

  8. Guide to publications, 1990 / [Office of Multicultural Affairs]
    Australia. Office of Multicultural Affairs
    [ Book : 1990 ]
    At 2 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 16.484)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 16.484)

  9. Office of Multicultural Affairs / Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
    Australia. Dept. of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
    [ Book : 1987-1993 ]
    At 2 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 15.194)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 15.194)

  10. Office of Multicultural Affairs : Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
    Australia. Office of Multicultural Affairs
    [ Book : 1994 ]
    At South West Inst TAFE
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 14.348)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 14.348)

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  1. It's over to you. produced and developed by the National Centre for English Language Teaching and Research, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, for the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs
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