Reflecting the
Diversity of Australia
in a
Culturally Diverse Region
Mike McCluskey
CEO ABC Radio Australia
A Culturally Diverse Region
•More than 50 countries in our region
•Thousands of languages
•Religious and cultural diversity
•Complex histories from great cultural heritage to colonialism and
independence
•Economic diversity ranging from extreme poverty to extreme wealth
•Emerging economies looking for opportunity and prosperity
•Huge biodiversity and environmental concern varies enormously
country to country
•There is no single view in Asia or the Pacific
Awareness of our region from within Australia
Australia’s closest neighbours - PNG and Indonesia
How much do we really know
about PNG? Indonesia?
How much mainstream
media coverage is there of
wither country?
Awareness of our region from within Australia – PNG & Indonesia focus
PNG
 800 languages – huge diversity
Many people speak multiple languages
Tok Pisin, Motu, English
6-7 million people
Indonesia
Many children do not attend school
Over 210 million people
HIV / Malaria / Hepatitis prevalent
Most populous Muslim nation
Rugby League – loved
Rapidly growing economy
13,000 islands
Bahasa national language
The diversity of Australia
Australia is 52nd in population ranking – 13th biggest economy
24% - nearly a quarter not born in Australia (many more have
multicultural heritage)
 Born in:
UK – 1.15m
NZ – 476,000
Speak another language
• Mandarin – 472,000
Italy – 220,500
• Italian – 316,000
China – 203,000
• Greek – 252,000
Vietnam – 180,000
• Arabic – 240,000
India – 153,000
• Vietnamese – 200,000
Philippines – 135,000
The diversity of Australia – Asian
1 in 10 Australians were born in Asia
1 in 5 Australians has an Asian parent
16.9% of Sydney residents were born in Asia
16.8% of Melbourne residents were born in Asia
China is Australia’s largest trading partner
Australia – some vital statistics influencing how we are perceived
 6th largest country in area and have the third largest ocean territory
$Aud -6th most traded currency in the world – 13th largest donor of aid
6th highest GDP per capita – (average income/ purchasing power)
Not a member of an Asian security alliance or economic block
Australia is a country whose recent history and traditional allies lie outside the
region, but whose primary engagements are now predominantly within the
region
Perceptions of Australia from Asia
Australia sits in Asia and the Pacific but is perceived by many in the
region as a European culture
Australia interferes too much in other countries
The Indian Media treatment of violence against Indian students blew the actual
situation out of all proportion and demonstrated poor understanding of Australian
society and values
In 2006 Lowy Institute found 25% of Indonesians could name the Australian
PM and 77% felt Australian and Indonesian relationship very important
Australia contributes significantly to many Pacific economies, such as Tonga,
Samoa, PNG and the awareness of Australia there is very large – is it
reciprocated?
Australia, Indonesia and the World
PUBLIC OPINION AND FOREIGN POLICY
Ivan Cook, Lowy Institute, 2006
Australia needs international media – public diplomacy
In the developing
Pacific and rapidly
expanding Asia,
Australia need’s its
values and culture to
be understood as it
really is. Not as it is
often perceived to be.
Australia needs international media – public diplomacy
Perceptions of Australia from Asia may include •Australia may be perceived as racist – boat asylum seekers – Indian students
•Australian’s may be perceived as elitist – very wealthy
•Europeans or European culture?
•Not understanding Asian values
•Mono-cultural, mono-linguistic
•Australia was once the natural home for education and information in some
Asian nations - now European nations, China, Japan, India and US are strongly
competing