Media Releases

https://www.pmc.gov.au/news-centre/pmc/communique-no-4-16-june-2017

The Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) was yesterday confirmed by the Minister for Aged Care and Indigenous Health, the Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP, as one of the organisations chosen to receive a Community Awareness Grant to encourage more people to join the Australian Organ Donor Register online and to discuss their donation decision with family and friends.

As part of the grant, FECCA will produce a special edition of its magazine Mosaic to focus on organ and tissue donation and host a dedicated Q&A session on donation at the 2017 FECCA Conference in Darwin, in October.

Mr Joe Caputo, Chair of FECCA said: “FECCA is delighted to receive this grant aimed at increasing awareness of organ and tissue donation in Australia among culturally and linguistically diverse communities and to encourage Australians from all backgrounds to join the Australian Organ Donor Register.”

“Australians from any cultural background may one day be in need of an organ or tissue transplant. It is important that all Australians are appropriately supported to understand, discuss and make decisions on organ and tissue donation,” he said.

Mr Caputo continued: “This project will help individuals, educators and community leaders to navigate and use the fantastic multicultural resources that have already been developed by the Organ and Tissue Authority to provide guidance on organ and tissue donation to their respective communities.”

“The grant to FECCA will benefit all Australians by helping save more lives by encouraging the registration of a donation decision on the Australian Organ Donor Register.”

The Community Awareness Grants are administered by the Organ and Tissue Authority as part of its Community Awareness and Education program. The register can be accessed at www.donatelife.gov.au.

To view the list of the 16 successful Community Awareness Grants recipients visit here.

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

Media contact: (0424) 910617 / emma@fecca.org.au

The Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) welcomes the strong position taken by the Australian Labor Party against the Australian Citizenship Legislation Amendment (Strengthening the Requirements for Australian Citizenship and Other Measures) Bill 2017 which will dramatically change the rules determining qualification for Australian citizenship. The Bill includes:

• Extension of the waiting period for permanent residents from one year to “at least four years” before eligibility for citizenship
• Increased English language requirement to qualify for Australian citizenship
• Widening of Ministerial discretion to deny citizenship in individual immigration cases.

Mr Joe Caputo, Chair of FECCA said: “These proposed changes run counter to Australia’s long-standing immigration policy, which has worked to create the current successful and harmonious Australian multicultural community.”

“For migrants to Australia, the granting of Australian citizenship is symbolic of acceptance into the Australian community. It is cherished by all in Australia’s migrant communities,” said Mr Caputo.

“Instead, this Bill will create a permanent underclass of Australian residents denied the rights and opportunities of being welcomed and included as an Australian citizen,” he continued.

Mr Caputo said: “This legislation sends a terrible message to generations of migrants – like my own parents – who came to Australia with poor English, but have subsequently enriched this nation through their cultural, economic, familial and social contribution.”

“It says that they should not have been accepted because they did not speak English when they became a citizen. It says that hard work and commitment to your family and nation is not enough to be Australian,” he said.

This Bill also widens Ministerial discretion to reverse a decision to grant citizenship in individual cases.

“The politicisation of immigration decision-making in individual cases threatens the fundamentals – impartiality, fairness and transparency – of our internationally respected immigration system,” said Mr Caputo.

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

Media contact: (0424) 910617 / emma@fecca.org.au

The Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) congratulates the Honorary President, and former Chair of FECCA, Giuseppe Pino Migliorino on his inclusion in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Mr Migliorino was honoured for his significant service to the Italian community, to multicultural and refugee settlement assistance groups, and through advisory roles.

FECCA also send its congratulations to Paris Aristotle, CEO of Foundation House, the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture and to Michael Ebeid, CEO of SBS.

Mr Aristotle was recognised for his for distinguished service to the refugee and asylum seeker sector through executive and advisory roles with a range of state and national organisations, and as an advocate for improved social welfare programs.

Mr Ebeid was recognised for significant service to the broadcast media and multicultural affairs as an executive, innovator and business leader.

Mr Joe Caputo, Chairperson of FECCA said: “Mr Migliorino, Mr Ebeid and Mr Aristotle have been important leaders in supporting migrants and Australia’s broader multicultural society.”

“This is fitting recognition of their hard work and commitment to refugees, migrants and community harmony,” he said.

Mr Caputo also noted the many other recipients who had been honoured for supporting culturally and linguistically diverse communities or had themselves come from a CALD background.

“The diversity shown in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list demonstrates the powerful contribution made by migrants to the Australian community.”

FECCA congratulates all recipients of honours announced in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours.

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

Media contact: (0424) 910617 / emma@fecca.org.au

The Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) urges all sides of politics and the community to take a strong stance against any proposed changes to the citizenship process that are unfair and discriminatory.

Mr Joe Caputo, Chair of FECCA said: “We are deeply concerned about proposed changes which appear to be based on political considerations rather than any empirical evidence.”

“The extended waiting time offers no benefit to Australia other than to delay the application for citizenship of hard-working, dedicated Australian residents who want to be able to fully participate in the community,” he continued.

Under the proposal, Australian permanent residents will have to wait four years before qualifying for citizenship despite, in many cases, years of contribution to the Australian community.

The new citizenship rules will also require a much higher level of English from prospective citizens.

Mr Caputo said: “While it is important to support migrants in learning English, those who struggle with the language nevertheless continue to make a valuable contribution.”

“My mother raised a proud Australian family using her native Italian language, as she worked at improving her English,” said Mr Caputo. “This is the story of many migrant families in Australia.”

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

Media contact: (0424) 910617 / emma@fecca.org.au

The Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) welcomed today’s announcement by the Australian Labor Party that, if elected to Government, they would introduce an Australian Modern Slavery Act based on similar legislation in the United Kingdom.

Chairperson of FECCA, Joe Caputo said: ‘A Modern Slavery Act would help to protect the most vulnerable workers including foreign and migrant workers in Australia.’

‘Australia has seen repeated instances of appalling abuse of workers, many of them from overseas. They are often unable to leave situations of extreme exploitation because of a range of barriers including fear, violence and ignorance of their rights,’ Mr Caputo continued.

Mr Caputo urged the Government to consider adopting a similar policy.

‘We welcome today’s announcement that an Australian Modern Slavery Act will be introduced by the Labor Party if they are elected to power. We hope that the Government will consider following suit,’ he said.

In April, FECCA made a submission to the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Sub-Committee on Human Rights’ Inquiry into Establishing a Modern Slavery Act with the Salvation Army’s Freedom Partnership, the Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans and the Uniting Church’s Justice and International Mission.

In the submission, FECCA and its partners called for an Australian Modern Slavery Act to be adopted to include the establishment of an independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner and enhanced disclosure around supply chains.

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

Media contact: (0424) 910617 / emma@fecca.org.au