Media Releases

The Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) said today that a move by the Fair Work Ombudsman to allow access to 40 languages other than English on its website was a major step forward in access and equity for migrants.

Visitors to www.fairwork.gov.au can now instantly translate website content, including fact sheets, information guides and templates, with just the click of a button.

The Chairperson of FECCA, Ms Mary Patetsos, said: “We congratulate Fair Work on this initiative. This new real-time translation service will make it easier for people of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background to seek assistance on workplace issues.”

“Migrant workers are some of the most vulnerable members of the Australian workforce.”

“Many of them are underpaid and exploited even though they fill key positions in the workforce,” she said.

Ms Patetsos said that workers of CALD background were crucial to Australia’s economy and society. They care for the nation’s elderly and disabled, support the agricultural sector and work to grow Australia’s IT and high tech companies.

“While the onus is on employers to do the right thing and carry out their obligations on pay and conditions, this Fair Work initiative gives workers of CALD background the tools they need to seek the rights and protections of Australian workplace law.”

“This website facility will help overcome the language barriers which so often contribute to their vulnerability,” Ms Patetsos said.

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) says that a Bill introduced today to the Australian Parliament will discriminate against tens of thousands of Australian residents simply because they are new migrants.

The Government’s Social Services Legislation Amendment (Encouraging Self-sufficiency for Newly Arrived Migrants) Bill aims to extend the waiting time for new migrants to access welfare benefits to three years from its current two years.

The Chairperson of FECCA, Ms Mary Patetsos said today that the move would impose considerable hardship.

“FECCA believes that this move will place more and more migrants at risk financially as they try to settle into Australia.”

“We accept that the Bill contains exemptions for refugees and limited hardship cases but the reality is that more migrants, as a result of this legislation, will face further discrimination and unfairness.”

“Migrants who come here have always needed time to establish themselves in housing and employment. These changes make it harder for them to settle in this country and FECCA appeals to the Parliament to reject the Bill,” 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 broader community.

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

The Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) has paid tribute to Sir Nicholas Shehadie, a pivotal figure in the formation of SBS.

The Chairperson of FECCA, Ms Mary Patetsos, said that Sir Nicholas was committed to the building of a successful multicultural Australia.

“Nicholas was not only a great rugby player and administrator for Australia but a champion of an Australia based on immigration and its many benefits,” Ms Patetsos said.

“He left a lasting legacy at SBS, serving as its Chairperson from 1981 to 1999.”

“He was a living example of Australia’s successful multiculturalism, born in Sydney to a Lebanese family and achieving remarkable success not only in sport, but later as Lord Mayor of Sydney as well as in his time as Chair of SBS.”

“FECCA pays tribute to his achievements. Our sympathy and best wishes go to his widow, the former Governor of NSW, Dame Marie Bashir, and to his family.”

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 urged organisations involved in aged care to make written submissions to the Federal Government on its Aged Care Workforce Strategy (ACWS).

The Department of Health is offering extensive consultation on the Strategy, via its ACWS Taskforce.

As well as inviting written submissions for the next five weeks, the ACWS Taskforce is offering a series of community consultations with its Chair, Professor John Pollaers in Brisbane, Melbourne and Hobart. More information can be found at the Taskforce website.

“This is a great opportunity for our communities to have their say on this important issue,” the Chairperson of FECCA, Ms Mary Patetsos, said today. “We urge interested organisations to offer their views to the Government, particularly on the special challenges facing aged care workers of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background.”

She said that CALD Australians are heavily represented in the aged care workforce and often face discrimination and racism. They occupy the full range of occupations, from professional through to carers and support staff.

FECCA calls for:

•  Workers in aged care to be properly remunerated, respected and provided with professional pathways;
• Well-resourced, quality capability training as a requirement through the diversity framework and staff trained and supported in cultural competency;
• A bilingual and bicultural aged care workforce, to match the needs of the diverse people in their care; and
• Australia’s migration program to support the needs for a diverse and skilled aged care workforce.

“The skills and welfare of our workers in aged care are so important that we urge everybody involved to take this opportunity to have their say,” Ms Patetsos said.

FECCA is the national peak body representing Australian from CALD backgrounds. Our 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

FECCA Chairperson, Ms Mary Patetsos, has been named in Adelaide Advertiser’s ‘Most Influential’ list.

FECCA is the national peak body representing Australian from CALD backgrounds. Our 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) has once again taken the opportunity to affirm, in a submission to the Federal Government on Australia’s migrant intake, that migration is central to Australia’s continuing economic, intellectual and social success.

The Chairperson of FECCA, Ms Mary Patetsos, said today: “Migration brings new skills, knowledge and experience to this country. And migrants help to build a productive and culturally rich Australian society.”

“The Prime Minister himself has stated that Australia is ‘the most successful multicultural society in the world’. We agree. And we welcome this opportunity to respond to the Government’s discussion paper on Australia’s Migrant Intake.”

In its submission, FECCA argues that:

Australia’s migration program should ensure a balance between skills and work-related visas and humanitarian and family visas:

• Priority be given to improving recognition of migrants’ overseas qualifications;
• Temporary and seasonal visa workers be better protected from abuse and exploitation by employers;
• Medium and long-term visas include a pathway to permanent residency and citizenship; and
• There should be no changes to either the waiting period or English language requirements for permanent residents to apply for Australian citizenship.

FECCA’s full submission can be found here.

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 made a detailed submission to the Senate’s Select Committee on the Future of Work and Workers.

The submission recommends actions to improve opportunities for workers of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background to access secure jobs, without discrimination.

“FECCA believes that workers of CALD background should have equal opportunity with other workers, that they should know their rights and that employers should ensure they are not subject to discrimination and exploitation,” the Chairperson of FECCA, Ms Mary Patetsos, said today.

FECCA’s recommendations include:

Detailed collection of data on insecure workers of CALD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse) background;

• Research into the special challenges they face;
• Provision of better information to CALD workers on their workplace rights;
• Greater cultural competence training for employers; and
• A plan to address the increasing need for bilingual aged care workers to cater for the ageing CALD population.

FECCA’s full submission can be found here.

 FECCA is the national peak body representing Australian from CALD backgrounds. Our 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