Media Releases

A new report by a major Australian insurance company has found that migrant small business owners are entrepreneurial, innovative and ambitious and create hundreds of thousands of jobs in the Australian economy.

The survey by CGU Insurance, part of the giant IAG group, notes that one in three of all Australian small businesses are owned by migrants and that migrants to Australia are ‘very enterprising….resourceful, demonstrate grit and build internal resilience’ in their decision to move to a new country for a new life.

The Chairperson of the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA), Mary Patetsos, said today: “This report confirms what we have always known, that the determination of migrants to make a better life for themselves in a new land makes them great, hardworking contributors to Australia.”

“In identifying the contribution of migrants to Australian business and society, CGU Insurance has produced hard evidence showing the ongoing success of the immigration program which has produced our vigorous multicultural society,” Ms Patetsos said.

The CGU survey of 900 business owners finds that:

• Eight out of ten migrant business owners stated their first business venture after moving to Australia;
• One in every two migrant business owners is aiming for higher revenue in the next five years (47pc compared to 38pc of non-migrant business owners);
• A quarter of the businesses are training young people (25pc compared to 19pc of non-migrant business owners); and
• One in every three migrant business owners is planning new hires (33pc compared to 25pc of non-migrant business owners).

“This report finds that migrant business owners lead the way in optimism, foresight and new ideas,” Ms Patetsos said.

“There are over 620,000 migrant-owner businesses in Australia and they employ over 1.41 million Australians. We congratulate CGU in conducting this objective assessment of their contribution to our society.”

Ms Patetsos said that CGU had found that ‘Our research helps challenge perceptions that our migrants are taking more than they are giving, and we’re keen to share this story–one of successful, hardworking and innovative migrants and the impact they have on our business community.’

“Here at FECCA we couldn’t have put it any better” Ms Patetsos said.

The full CGU report can be found here.

FECCA is the national peak body representing Australians from CALD backgrounds. FECCA’s role is to advocate and promote issues on behalf of its constituency to government, business and the wider community.

Contact: 0403 044 216 / emma@fecca.org.au

The Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) today invited providers, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) consumers and carers to have their say on aged care services–and in a range of languages.

The Chairperson of FECCA, Ms Mary Patetsos, said that consultation on the best way to deliver the most equitable and highest-quality aged care to older Australians of migrant background was vitally important.

Ms Patetsos said: “Last month, the Minister for Aged Care and Minister for Indigenous Health, Mr Ken Wyatt, launched Australia’s Aged Care Diversity Framework. The framework represents an important step towards a more inclusive future for aged care services,” Ms Patetsos said.

“Australians of all backgrounds deserve aged care that meets their needs and expectations,” she continued.

The Diversity Framework will be implemented through Action Plans including a CALD Action Plan, which seeks to embed diversity in aged care and to address any barriers to equity and quality.

To enable consumers and providers to participate in the development of the CALD Action Plan and the aged care design process, FECCA has been conducting consultations with wide groups of stakeholders from CALD backgrounds.

Online surveys are now available for consumers and for providers.

Downloadable and printable versions of the surveys can be obtained by clicking on these specific language links: Chinese; Arabic; Vietnamese; Greek; Italian; Serbian; Croatian; Bosnian.

“FECCA invites everybody with a stake in these important issues to have their say by completing these surveys before the deadline of 15 March 2018,” Ms Patetsos said

FECCA is the national peak body representing Australians from CALD backgrounds. FECCA’s role is to advocate and promote issues on behalf of its constituency to government, business and the wider community.

Contact: 0403 044 216 / emma@fecca.org.au

The Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) says that the newly established Department of Home Affairs inherits a proud and strong legacy that is our Multicultural Australia.

The Chairperson of FECCA, Ms Mary Patetsos, said today that FECCA acknowledges the recent appointment of the new Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Peter Dutton, as well as the new Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, Mr Alan Tudge.

“Multiculturalism presents great strengths for Australia, and we look forward to working with the Government to harness its great opportunities,” Ms Patetsos said.

“Migrants have contributed to the social, cultural and economic fabric of this country and Australia has truly benefited from this diversity.”

Ms Patetsos said that previous to the new Ministerial appointments, FECCA had collaborated with the Department of Social Services.

“We have valued the positive and productive engagement we have developed with the Department of Social Services, and look towards building on our credentials,” Ms Patetsos said.

Ms Patetsos said that she would be meeting soon with Minister Alan Tudge.

“Australia’s multiculturalism is about the recognition, acceptance and celebration of our cultural, linguistic and faith based community. Australia has truly benefited from this diversity, as well as our shared commitment to Australian laws and democratic values.”

Ms Patetsos said that FECCA thanked the former Assistant Minister for Social Services and Multicultural Affairs, Senator Zed Seselja for his support of FECCA in past years.

FECCA is the national peak body representing Australia’s culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities and their organisations. FECCA provides advocacy, develops policy and promotes issues on behalf of its constituency to Government and the broader community

Contact: 0403 044 216 / emma@fecca.org.au

The Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) has called for greater diversity in Australian television, radio and streaming services, to reflect the nation’s true cultural character.

The Chairperson of FECCA, Ms Mary Patetsos, said that more than a quarter of Australia’s population was born overseas, almost half of Australians had at least one parent born overseas and one in five Australians spoke a language other than English at home.

“Despite all this, a recent Screen Australia survey shows that that in current television drama, just 18 per cent of characters are non-Anglo Celtic,” Ms Patetsos said.

“We have a long way to go before Australian media and broadcast entertainment is representative of the population.”

Ms Patetsos said that FECCA had mounted a strong argument for diversity in Australian broadcasting in its recent submission to the Environment and Communications References Committee of the Australian Senate.

FECCA’s submission calls for:

• an increase in on-screen and behind-the-scenes diversity within the Australian media industry;
• increased government funding to SBS so it can continue to produce high quality Australian content which reflects Australians of diverse backgrounds; and
• SBS and other public broadcasters to be able to provide diverse and high-quality content, sourced overseas where appropriate, to meet the needs and interests of Australia’s multicultural community.

“Australia is a wonderfully diverse community,” Ms Patetsos said.

“There is enormous potential for broadcast, radio and streaming services to reach across the boundaries of race, faith, language and ethnicity.”

“Our media can shape Australian society by reflecting who we are: a nation filled with a richness of experience beyond that of any country on earth.”

FECCA is the national peak body representing Australians from CALD backgrounds. FECCA’s role is to advocate and promote issues on behalf of its constituency to government, business and the broader community.

Contact: 0403 044 216 / emma@fecca.org.au