In This Issue:                                                 

The 18th edition of the Australian mosaic is out now. You can view and download selected articles in the Snippets section of our website.

You can also download and complete a subscription form if you wish to subscribe or renew your subscription and fax it to (02) 6282 5734.

To order a hard copy please contact MaryAnn on (02) 6282 5755 or email her on admin@fecca.org.au.

Keep visiting the website for more information.

1. Arts, culture and Heritage (established)

2. Racism, Reconciliation and Multiculturalism (vacancies)

3. Regional Development (vacancies)

4. Women (vacancies)

5. Youth (vacancies)

6. New and Emerging Communities (vacancies)

7. Health (vacancies)

8. Environment (vacancies)

If you are interested in sitting on any of the committees please contact Charles at policy@fecca.org.au or call on (02) 6282 5755 and he will put you in touch with the relevant individuals.

SUBMISSIONS                              

APR 2008    FECCA’s Response to the 2020 summit
APR 2008    Ratification of the United Nations Convention on the rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
APR 2008    National Employment Standards Exposure Draft

These can be downloaded from our website at www.fecca.org.au/Media_Releases.cfm for Media Releases, or http://www.fecca.org.au/submissions.cfm for Submissions.

FECCA WHITE RIBBON WORKSHOP

FECCA has partnered with White Ribbon Foundation (WRF) to actively involve culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities throughout Australia to join in White Ribbon Day. The United Nations’ White Ribbon Campaign is the first male led campaign to end violence against women in the world. It encourages men to take a stand and say that violence, in any form, is never acceptable.

Multicultural Communities Council of South Australia (MCCSA)

Capacity Building for Emerging Communities

The MCCSA will continue to help small and emerging communities to gain the skills, resources and confidence to become sustainable and independent organisations. This includes helping our member communities with planning, communication strategies, funding applications and project management.

3Ball Basketball and the Bay Sports Festival

The MCCSA and Basketball SA have developed 3Ball (outdoor 3 on 3 basketball) as a bridging program to encourage recently arrived youth to participate in basketball and to link with local clubs.

Our main focus is the 3Ball event at the annual Bay Sports Festival in late December. We use this event to engage recently arrived youth through healthy physical activities, music and dance. It is also an opportunity for these youth to compete against players from local district basketball clubs.

Migrant Resource Centre of South Australia (MRCSA) NATIONAL CONFERENCE

PRELIMINARY INFORMATION

Making a Difference
Social Inclusion for New and Emerging Communities

Thursday 26 – Friday 27 June 2008
Banquet Room - Adelaide Festival Centre
King William Road, Adelaide

Hosted by the Migrant Resource Centre of South Australia, in partnership with:

• SA Refugee Week Committee

• Federation of Ethic Communities’ Councils of Australia

• Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission

• Diversity Health Institute

• Victorian Multicultural Commission

• SA Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs Commission / Multicultural SA

• Federation of African Communities Council

• Migrant Resource Centres

• Myriad Consultants

Welcome report on Social Cohesion

FECCA welcomes the release of a comprehensive report by the Monash Institute for the Study of Global Movements entitled Mapping social cohesion- the Scanlon Foundation surveys. The report is written by Professor Andrew Markus and Dr Arunachalam Dharmalingam in partnership with the Australian Multicultural Foundation and paints a positive picture of Australia as a cohesive society. It examines complex attitudes to immigration and multicultural society, including assistance to ethnic groups, levels of discrimination and the degree of disaffection in our community.

For more information please visitwww.globalmovements.monash.edu.au.

APRO Member Reports

The APRO members report is out following the meeting held on
30 January 2008 in Sydney.

You can download it from the FECCA website at: http://www.fecca.org.au/APRO_Rec.pdf.

Are you aware of your obligations as an employer?

It is now a criminal offence to allow an illegal worker to work, or to refer an illegal for work.

Illegal workers are non-Australian citizens working in Australia without a visa or with a visa that does not allow them to perform the work they are doing.

People convicted of these offences face fines of up to $13 200 and two years’ imprisonment, while companies face fines of up to $66 000 per illegal worker.

The penalties apply to employers, labour hire companies and employment agencies.

Illegal work denies Australians the opportunity to gain employment and can result in the exploitation of non-Australian citizens. Illegal work is also associated with cash economy industries, which are characterised by abuses of Australia’s tax, employment and welfare laws.

The safest way to avoid committing an offence is to check that all prospective employees are entitled to work in Australia.

How to check that a prospective employee is entitled to work in Australia

The Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) service is the safest, easiest and quickest way to check the work entitlements of all new workers from overseas.

This free, Internet-based system means an organisation can check the work entitlements of a visa holder online. VEVO information is always current and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To register for VEVO, visit www.immi.gov.au/evo and follow the online instructions.

For employers without access to the Internet, there is a toll-free Visa Entitlement Verification Faxback service that provides written confirmation from the department of a visa holders’ entitlement to work in Australia. To use this service you will need to complete the Authority to Obtain Details of Visa Status form and fax it to 1800 505 550. The form is available from the department’s website or by calling 1800 040 070.

To find out more about the Employer Sanctions legislation, VEVO or the faxback service, visit the department’s website at www.immi.gov.au/employer-obligations or call the Employers’ Immigration Hotline on 1800 040 070. The hotline operates from 8.30am-4.30pm, Monday to Friday, and is a free call.

If you would like to organise an information session on the Employer Sanctions legislation, which includes a demonstration on how to use VEVO, please contact Mr Elvio D’Angelo on: Phone – 02 6225 6597 or email at elvio.dangelo@immi.gov.au.

Department of Families, Housing,
Community Services and
Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA)

Jenny Macklin Minister for Families, Housing, community services and Indigenous Affairs recently opened nominations for the National Disability awards.

All Australians can nominate someone they know in one of the following categories:

• Community Contribution Award for a person with disability who has made a significant contribution to their community

• Young Community Contribution Award for a young person (between 12 and 25 years) with disability who has made a significant contribution to their community

• Inclusion Award for a person who has made a significant contribution to improving the lives of people with disability

• Go Getter Award for a young person (between 12 and 25 years) who has made a significant contribution to improving the lives of people with disability

• Personal Achievement Award for a person, either with disability or caring for someone with disability, who has overcome adversity to achieve personal goals

Nominations close 9 May. Further information regarding the awards can be found at
www.idpwd.com.au or by calling 1800 440 385.

Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA)

Refugee Week 2008, 15-22 June
A Place to Call Home

The Refugee Council of Australia is once again coordinating Refugee Week. The week will be celebrated from June 15 to 21 to coincide with UN World Refugee Day on June 20.

Australia’s Refugee Week theme of “A Place to Call Home” encourages people to think about the global themes of protection and human rights by focusing on the fundamental right to a secure place to call home. It encourages Australians to think about our common obligations to people who have no secure home, as well as to acknowledge the 700,000 refugees and humanitarian migrants over the past 60 years who have made Australia their home.

The Refugee Council of Australia invites all to start thinking about how they can participate in Refugee Week this year. There are lots of different ways to mark the week, see below for suggestions:

• Organise a cultural celebration with traditional food, dance and music to bring together refugees and non-refugees and share their stories

• Run a workshop to provide information and raise awareness on some issues that refugees might face

• Organise an art competition or an exhibition using this year’s Refugee Week theme

• Invite a speaker to come and present. It can be a person who works with refugees or someone who has been through the refugee experience.

• Organise a screening of a refugee related documentary and movie

• Send a positive story for Refugee Week to your local newspaper

• Attend any of the many events during Refugee Week

For more ideas visit the RCOA website and download a 2008 Refugee Week Resource Kit.

For more information about Refugee Week 2008 visit the Refugee Council’s website at
www.refugeecouncil.org.au or contact our offices:

University of Western Sydney - Call for Papers

UPCOMING EVENTS

2008 YOUTH HARMONY FESTIVAL

Sunday 4 May 2008
Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbor
11am to 4pm

Enquiries about the festival can be directed to Mr Fadi Nemme on 8255 6725 or email at
fadi.nemme@crc.nsw.gov.au.

Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club in partnership with AFL Multicultural Program and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship is hosting 2008 walk in Harmony.

You are invited to join this walk to help celebrate Australia’s success as a diverse society.

Where? Flemington Centre, 25 Alexander Rd, Flemington ( Ref 2A 1D)
When?  Sunday 4 May@ 12 pm

Walk in Harmony to Telstra Dome @ 2.00pm Watch Essendon v Port Adelaide @ 4.00pm.

For more information visit http://essendonfc.com.au or phone 03 9230 0300.