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Consultations
A project aimed at eliminating prejudice against
Arab and Muslim Australians was launched by acting Race Discrimination
Commissioner Dr Bill Jonas in Sydney on 21 March 2003 to coincide with
the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
Isma - Listen: National consultations
on eliminating prejudice against Arab and Muslim Australians
aims to restore and maintain harmony in the Australian community at a
time when negative feelings against these groups may arise.
The project aims to:
- Enhance public awareness about Arab and Muslim Australians;
- Encourage opinion leaders and community organisations to
demonstrate solidarity with Arab and Muslim Australians against racist
attacks; - Ensure that Arab and Muslim Australians, and other targets
such as Sikhs, are not isolated but can continue to participate fully
in society; - Empower communities to 'speak back' to ensure that Arab
and Muslim Australians are heard on issues affecting them; - Ensure that complaints about discrimination and vilification
are treated seriously; - Challenge vilification, discrimination and stereotyping.
To address these objectives, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity
Commission will consult with federal, state and territory government agencies
and Arab and Muslim communities across Australia. To ensure consultations
are comprehensive, the Commission has employed a Community Liaison Officer,
Omeima Sukkarieh, and appointed a reference group of relevant representatives
from:
- Al Zahra Islamic Council
- Australian Arabic Communities Council
- Australian Arabic Council
- Australian Federation of Islamic Councils
- Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous
Affairs - Islamic Women's Welfare Council of Victoria
- Maronite Catholic Diocese of Australia
- Multicultural Affairs Queensland
- Muslim Women's National Network of Australia
- NSW Police Service
- NSW Department of Education & Training
- SA Equal Opportunity Commission
- United Muslim Women's Association
- WA Office of Multicultural Interests
Senior journalist Christopher Kremmer, media personality
John Doyle (aka Roy Slaven) and independent youth representative,
Rawan Abdul - Nabi, complete the group.
Click on the links below to access:
Fact Sheets:
- Fact Sheet: Australian
Muslims - Fact Sheet: Australians of
Arab, Middle Eastern and North African Birth and Ancestry - Fact Sheet: Muslim and Arab
Australians in New South Wales - Fact Sheet: Muslim and Arab
Australians in Queensland - Fact Sheet: Muslim and Arab
Australians in South Australia - Fact Sheet: Muslim and Arab
Australians in Victoria - Fact Sheet: Muslim and Arab
Australians in Western Australia
Meetings and consultations (with notes
where available)
Australian Capital Territory
New South Wales
- 5 April
2003 - Muslim Women's National Network of Australia - 7 April
2003 - Youth Reference Group to the NSW Premier's Youth Partnership
with Arabic Speaking Communities - 9 April
2003 - NSW Police Ethnic Community Liaison Officers - 11
April 2003 - Women's Group from St George MRC Lebanese Joint Committee - 23
April 2003 - Women's Group from Al Zahra Islamic Council and Rockdale
City Council - 29
April 2003 - Arabic Workers' Network - 24 May 2003 - United Muslim Women's
Association Youth Group - 4
June 2003 - Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Youth Group - 7 June
2003 - Consultation with young Muslim women hosted by the United
Muslim Women's Association, Sydney - 10
June 2003 - Consultation hosted by the Australian Arabic Communities
Council - 10 June
2003 - Consultation hosted by the Islamic Council of NSW - 12 June
2003 - Lebanese Muslim children and young people - 21
June 2003 - Muslim Council of NSW - 23 June
2003 - United Muslim Women's Association, Sydney - 26 June
2003 - Northern Sydney Muslim Women - August
2003 - Consultations
with NSW Department of Education and Training staff - August
2003 - Consultations with NSW secondary school students - August
2003 - Consultations with NSW primary school students - 9
August 2003 - Consultation hosted by IIlawarra Ethnic Communities
Council - 27
August 2003 - Sydney Migrant Resource Centres - 4
September 2003 - Consultation hosted by the Lebanese Community Council,
Bankstown - 10 September
2003 - Forum on Australia’s Islamic Relations (FAIR) - 9 October
2003 - Consultation with Sydney University Students - 15
October 2003 - Tripoli and Mena Association Seniors Group, Sydney
Northern Territory
Queensland
- 16
June 2003 - Consultation at Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland,
Brisbane - 17
June 2003 - Elderly Muslim Women’s Group - 17 June
2003 - Young Muslim Women’s Group, Muslim Women’s Association
of Qld - 18
June 2003 - Young Arab Men’s Group - 18
June 2003 - Anti-Racism Community Reference Group, Brisbane
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
- 30
April 2003 - Consultation hosted by Victorian Equal Opportunity
Commission - 26
May 2003 -Consultation hosted by Islamic Council of Victoria - 26 May
2003 - Consultation with refugee women hosted by the Ecumenical
Migration Centre of Victoria - 27 May 2003 - Victorian Police Service
Multicultural Liaison Officers - 27 May
2003 - Muslim Lawyers Group - 28
May 2003 - Consultation hosted by the Australian Arabic Council - 28 May
2003 - Indonesian Muslim Community of Victoria - 28
May 2003 - Muslim Girls and Women's Group hosted by the Victorian
Department of Human Services, Melbourne - 29
May 2003 - Iraqi refugee women in Shepparton - 29
May 2003 - English language students in Shepparton - 30 May
2003 - Consultation with Iraqi refugees in rural Victoria - 13
November 2003 - Consultation with members of the Horn of Africa
Senior Women's Program, Melbourne - 13 November
2003 - Antiochian Community Support Association - 14
November 2003 - Interfaith Network of the City of Greater Dandenong - 17 November
2003 - Consultation with young Arab Christians