IF WE DON’T COUNT IT… IT DOESN’T COUNT!
FECCA highlights the need for consistent national data collection and reporting on cultural, ethnic, and linguistic diversity in Australia, identifying gaps in administrative, survey, and research data that exclude or underrepresent CALD communities. These deficiencies hinder equitable service delivery, policy development, and the generalisability of research outcomes. It calls for updating outdated frameworks like the 1999 ABS Standards, adopting FAIR Data Principles, and mandating the inclusion of ethnicity and cultural markers in data collection. Key recommendations include revising survey methodologies, addressing exclusionary research practices, and ensuring that data collection reflects Australia’s growing diversity.
To drive change, FECCA advocates for creating a National Working Group with stakeholders from government, academia, and multicultural organisations to develop consistent standards and explore self-identification mechanisms. It also calls for legislative reforms to mandate diversity data collection, citing international best practices. These measures aim to address systemic inequities, enhance data quality, and ensure that research and policies are inclusive of all Australians.
