Indeed, the very foundations of multicultural policy were built on hopes for equality, respect and accommodation of cultural differences. Truly, these premises were ideally democratic in nature. However, following criticism that such ideals were impossible to implement, recent governments have endeavoured in a variety of ways to remedy this mischief. This is best exemplified by the policies recommended and implemented through the National Agenda for a Multicultural Australia (OMA, 1989). The purpose of this policy review was to rectify the existing problems that have arisen through multiculturalism, by regulating the following rights of all Australians; including the right to: .
Social justice- a right for all individuals to completely participate and contribute to the nation through the removal of existing race motivated prejudice barriers;.
Economic Utility- a right for all residents to amply develop and employ their skills and talents, regardless of ethnicity;.
Cultural Identity- a right for all Australians to express and share their greater cultural heritage.
Specifically, this involves providing facilities and programs for voluntary migrant integration into Australian society; the recognising of migrant qualifications for employment, especially those attained in non Anglo-Celtic countries; an overall reduction in employment discrimination against ethnic groups; and the acceptance and accommodation of cultural differences (Walsh, 2001). These unopposed suggestions reverberate a collective national desire to remedy the inequalities that have resulted from multiculturalism in a hope for social cohesiveness and a democratically rational solution. Typifying a representative democratic system, the majority support for these measures meant that there was a genuine government attempt to enforce these proposals. .
In recent years however, although such proposals have been gradually implemented, research shows that the "majority view" has been dissipating, with Australians now holding a mixed array of opinions towards the concept of multiculturalism (Jamrozik et al, 1995; Sheehan, 1998).
