SUPPORTING OUR DIVERSE AND VIBRANT MULTICULTURAL COMMUNITY

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1 SUPPORTING OUR DIVERSE AND VIBRANT MULTICULTURAL COMMUNITY A STRONG PLAN FOR REAL CHANGE 1

2 We re ready. Over the last four years, we ve been working hard developing our vision for the future of South Australia. Not just policies, but a series of achievable milestones that have been crafted for the long-term benefit of our state. Our focus will be MORE JOBS. LOWER COSTS. BETTER SERVICES. We ve got a strong plan for real change. A STRONG PLAN FOR REAL CHANGE 2

3 WHAT WE LL DO A Marshall Liberal Government will continue to enrich our wonderfully diverse community and invest in projects that foster greater engagement, build social harmony, expand economic capacity and celebrate the unique riches of our culturally diverse State. A Liberal Government will enrich our cultural wellbeing by celebrating diversity through festivals and major events and build local and international partnership programs using the networks and connections of our culturally and linguistically diverse communities. We are committed to ensuring our diverse and energetic multicultural communities are well supported through services and various programs, along with being encouraged to host and showcase their culture and customs with the wider South Australian community. Our priority areas include: To ensure adequate funding is allocated for specific sector needs, we will conduct a comprehensive budget review across the sector to work out an equitable funding structure that matches the needs for multicultural organizations to celebrate their cultural traditions, as well as supports our vulnerable CALD communities. A Liberal Government will empower economic capacity across all sections of society to embrace diversity, and in particular we will enhance culturally inclusive programs across government agencies to enable equitable access to services (within hospitals, schools, housing and community facilities). The promotion of strong intercultural networks; Arts and sports programs that target young people across all communities; Partnerships and programs that promote employment, volunteering and participation for new arrivals and migrants, including programs focused on women, youth and seniors; Languages programs for teachers, students and families; Supporting participation of people with disability and aged care needs from diverse backgrounds; and Skills and leadership development programs for community organisations. A STRONG PLAN FOR REAL CHANGE 3

4 OTHER LIBERAL POLICIES THAT WILL ASSIST OUR MULTICULTURAL COMMUNITY A range of policies to be implemented by a Marshall Liberal Government will benefit the Multicultural sector in South Australia. They include: Free screening checks for volunteers The Multicultural Community in driven by a dedicated volunteer network, and like any nongovernment and not-for-profit sector, we need to foster an environment that encourages the next generation of volunteers. A Marshall Liberal Government will abolish all fees payable by volunteers for screening by the Department for Communities and Social Inclusion. Job Opportunities for Skilled Migrants The Liberal Party believes that everyone who is able to work deserves to have meaningful employment. This includes skilled migrants. A Marshall Liberal Government will implement a range of job creation initiatives including: Scrapping payroll tax for all small businesses with annual payrolls below $1.5 million, providing incentive to business operators to take on extra staff; Deregulating shop trading hours, allowing businesses to open when their customers want to shop, increasing employment opportunities for retail workers; Further reducing the cost of doing business through lower power bills, slashing the Emergency Services Levy, reducing land tax, capping council rate increases and NO State bank tax, and Facilitating an export-led transformation of our economy. Education as an Export A Marshall Liberal Government will grow one of our biggest exports, international education, by implementing a range of measures to boost international student enrolment in South Australia. We will increase funding for Study Adelaide to $2.5 million per annum to support its key role in promoting Adelaide as a centre of education excellence, encouraging more students to live and spend in Adelaide. Languages in School A Marshall Liberal Government will ensure students across South Australia have the intercultural capabilities they need to succeed in the increasingly globalised world in which they live by reinvigorating the study of languages in South Australian schools. Learning a second language is beneficial for students general academic development with a clear link between learning another language and literacy development in English. Aged Care A Marshall Liberal Government will continue to strive to strengthen the CALD Age Friendly services. We will conduct a comprehensive review in collaboration with government agencies, service providers and peak bodies to develop programs that will best suit the requirements of older migrants, ensuring their needs are respected and addressed. Multicultural Youth: South Australia needs a strategic direction for young people and multicultural youth. A Marshall Liberal Government will invest $100 million (in addition to $100 million from the Federal Government) to create more than 20,000 new places in the Vocational Education and Training system to provide young South Australians with more opportunities to secure an apprenticeship or traineeship. In addition, a Marshall Liberal Government will give more primary school aged children the opportunity to participate in sport and recreation. We will provide a $100 voucher per child per calendar year towards club membership and registration fees. This will encourage many more children to be actively engaged with their local sporting community. A STRONG PLAN FOR REAL CHANGE 4

5 STEVEN MARSHALL MP State Liberal Leader Phone: A STRONG PLAN FOR REAL CHANGE 5