Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword
- List of contributors
- List of tables
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- PART I DEFINING, MEASURING AND SEEKING SOCIAL COHESION
- 1 The quest for harmony
- 2 Conceptualising social cohesion
- 3 Measuring social cohesion in a diverse society
- 4 Australian government initiatives for social cohesion
- PART II THE DYNAMICS OF SOCIAL COHESION
- PART III INFLUENCES AND RESPONSES IN SEARCHING FOR SOCIAL COHESION
- References
- Index
4 - Australian government initiatives for social cohesion
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 22 September 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword
- List of contributors
- List of tables
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- PART I DEFINING, MEASURING AND SEEKING SOCIAL COHESION
- 1 The quest for harmony
- 2 Conceptualising social cohesion
- 3 Measuring social cohesion in a diverse society
- 4 Australian government initiatives for social cohesion
- PART II THE DYNAMICS OF SOCIAL COHESION
- PART III INFLUENCES AND RESPONSES IN SEARCHING FOR SOCIAL COHESION
- References
- Index
Summary
The contributions of migrants and their descendants have helped make Australia what it is today – a thriving, enterprising and diverse society. Migration will continue to play a crucial role in Australia's future.
There are now about five working-age Australians for every person over 65 years old. Within two generations, that figure could fall to about 2.5 working-age people. Across the OECD countries, 70 million people will be retiring over the next 25 years, with only five million to replace them. Australia's immigration program is an essential part of the government's response, attracting the people and skills we need from around the world. It also enables families to be reunited and helps Australia to play a part in assisting the world's refugees.
According to the 2001 Census, 43 per cent of Australians were either born overseas or have at least one parent who was. Australians currently speak over 200 languages, identify with more than 160 ancestries and practise a range of religions. The immigration program is bringing an increasingly diverse inflow of new arrivals with varying levels of skill and education. At the same time, overseas events are impacting on Australia's stability, marginalising some groups and eroding social cohesion.
Australian society is not subject to the divisions and tensions experienced by many other countries around the world.
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- Information
- Social Cohesion in Australia , pp. 45 - 58Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2007
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