Multiculturalism - Should we change for others, or should they change for us?

[Diesel_2000]

Multiculturalism - Why should Australia change its culture to suit minority groups who refuse to comply to our ways of life, and expect us to change our ways to suit their own religious and cultural convictions.

Do we continue to support Multiculturalism? Or do we say enough is enough, and to live in Australia you must accept our culture.

 

[CharlieG]

It's one of the successes of the right that the myth has been perpetuated that multiculturalism involves 'us changing for them'.

Pray tell, what fundamental changes - other than overcoming ingrained racism and jingoistic nationalism - does multiculturaliam require?

 

[Roonaldo!]

Ohh, i don't like where this is going.

 

[red+black]

getting people to sit their driver's licence in English would be a good start.

 

[Former]

Which state lets people sit their licence test in other languages?

 

[- PC -]

Which state lets people sit their licence test in other languages?

I believe most states do have the written test in whatever language the applicant requires. Certainly was the case 10 years ago..I will check if it is still happening.

 

[- PC -]

I was actually thinking about this the other day. I was in a shop where a Middle eastern woman served me. Now I handed her the money and she took it BUT she put the change on the counter. I have heard that direct contact is not encouraged and was interested in the little byplay. Like the Japanese gentleman who will refuse to shake your hand but bow profusely ..what does one do?

When in Rome do as the Romans do is good advice for any traveller... but what if the person is now a citizen? Do I steadfastly hold my hand out waiting for it to be shaken or do I move on? Do I take my shoes off outside a mosque or do I wander in boots and all? I think it comes down to respect. Respect in that I dont make a fuss if someone doesnt want to shake my hand and respect by taking my shoes off .... as long as that respect is returned.

 

[mantis]

Perth Crow, I think you have heard wrong, my dentist a female muslim certainly has direct contact with us infidels. She doesn't wear the full covering dress, but she does wear the head scarf.

Edit: Have you ever been to a Japanese restaurant in Australia, you have to take off your shoes & sit on the floor, people have been doing that for over 20 years & no one is kicking up a fuss about that.

 

[coxon]

I believe most states do have the written test in whatever language the applicant requires. Certainly was the case 10 years ago..I will check if it is still happening.

ok, i'm asian... but its a ********ing disgrace that we allow people to do your drivers licensing test in arabic, chinese, croatian, serbian, turkish, spanish, japanese, greek, korean, vietnamese..

this is the case in NSW at the moment...

 

[medusala]

It's one of the successes of the right that the myth has been perpetuated that multiculturalism involves 'us changing for them'.

Pray tell, what fundamental changes - other than overcoming ingrained racism and jingoistic nationalism - does multiculturaliam require?

Muppet villification laws
Public funding of a dedicated tv station
Acceptance of higher levels of violent crime and unemployment and a refusal to allow racial profiling
Acceptance of public disharmony between different groups
An immigration policy that lets in huge numbers for no valid reason
Huge amount of govt info in a myriad of languages
etc etc

As for jingoistic nationalism go and watch a soccer game in Melbourne. Multiculturalism and nationalism go together very well indeed.

 

[raskolnikov]

Perth Crow, I think you have heard wrong, my dentist a female muslim certainly has direct contact with us infidels. She doesn't wear the full covering dress, but she does wear the head scarf.

Edit: Have you ever been to a Japanese restaurant in Australia, you have to take off your shoes & sit on the floor, people have been doing that for over 20 years & no one is kicking up a fuss about that.

There is a difference between general day-to-day life and going to a restaurant. If you go to a Japanese restaurant then that's what you'll expect.
What annoys me is the Muslim women still wearing the full head veil. I feel like calling out "You're in Australia now".

 

[Clark Kent]

So damn annoying isn't it?

A religious/cultural requirement based probably (I'll defer to the experts) on protecting the modesty of the women (in this case).

If we cast our minds back to not so long ago, even men in this country accepted that to bathe in public they had to be covered knee to shoulder. To dress in what we do today would have caused an uproar.

Reminds me of the oft-quoted case of the public pool 'closed' to the public to allow Muslim women to have 'their' own private session. Again, modesty-based, but used by some as 'evidence' that 'these people' wnn't adapt to 'our' way of life.

Get over it.

........What annoys me is the Muslim women still wearing the full head veil. I feel like calling out "You're in Australia now".

 

[Clark Kent]

Err, head-dress, worn by EVERY man. Unthinkable today, yet headwear worn for religous or cultural reasons is sometimes criticised for not falling into line with 'our' values.
dole queues

(Photo courtesy "The Age")

 

[dan warna]

...

what a load of crap

...

Drivers licenses should be in english is about the only thing I agree with.

Australian culture is a hybrid of many cultures like it or not.

If you want a monoculture p!$$ back to yorkshire.

 

[PA HOG]

As for jingoistic nationalism go and watch a soccer game in Melbourne. Multiculturalism and nationalism go together very well indeed.

I am surprised that a person with your noticeable good sense and experience quotes this one. You would undoubtedly have observed the behavior of Australian expats abroad.

Consider the behavior of most Kiwis living in Australia when the All Blacks tour. The average Australian does not denounce them for cheering for their "home" team; they just expect and accept it. The same can be said of English born Aussie cricket lovers. I am not surprised at all when migrants get an opportunity to follow an ethnic based team. To some degree, it’s not unlike the turn-up of Aussies to AFL promotional games played in London. I'd be more surprised if this didn't happen.


How many AFL supporters of Victorian teams do you know who have moved interstate and automatically changed their loyalty to a team from their new state? My son has lived for five years in a foreign country and follows AFL as closely as he did in Oz. If he happens to take out citizenship, would you condemn him if he does not change his allegiance to the indigenous games of baseball and basketball?

 

[red+black]

Which state lets people sit their licence test in other languages?

VicRoads: The road law knowledge test is available in English as well as: Albanian, Arabic, Cambodian, Chinese (Mandarin), Croatian, German, Greek, Italian, Laotian, Macedonian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Sinhalese, Somali, Spanish, Turkish, Vietnamese.

And if that isn't good enough for you: If you do not speak one of these languages VicRoads can provide an interpreter at no extra cost to you.

I'd like to see how many non-English countries offer such tests in 20 languages, as well as offering a free interpreter.

 

[Pessimistic]

...

what a load of crap

...

Drivers licenses should be in english is about the only thing I agree with.

Australian culture is a hybrid of many cultures like it or not.

If you want a monoculture p!$$ back to yorkshire.

Oy - wer'e quite multicutural in Yorkshire.

Has anyone considered that the radical muslims also hate multiculturalism ?

 

[jim boy]

...

what a load of crap

...

Drivers licenses should be in english is about the only thing I agree with.

Has there ever been a question that a licencse is in anything but English?

And as for requiring people to sit a drivers test in English, what an absolute load of BS. Why should a lack of English be a significant factor in a persons ability to drive?

I've seen this issue for from both sides, having lived in a country where I didn't speak the local language. Life is tough enough in that situation without having rednecks making life more difficult for no reason other than xenophobia.

 

[Monkster]

And as for requiring people to sit a drivers test in English, what an absolute load of BS. Why should a lack of English be a significant factor in a persons ability to drive?

You don't think being able to read road signs is significant factor in your ability to drive? I mean if you can't read a question under very little pressure with plenty of time to answer it how are you supposed to be able to read a street/road sign going at 60-110 kms an hour?

 

[skipper kelly]

I believe people must have some basic english to drive on the roads in Australia.

Doesnt Chinese, Arabic etc etc use characters rather than the alphabet. If a person had no knowledge at all of English how would they read the road signs?

Please correct me if Im wrong.

 

[PA HOG]

Has there ever been a question that a licencse is in anything but English?

And as for requiring people to sit a drivers test in English, what an absolute load of BS. Why should a lack of English be a significant factor in a persons ability to drive?

I've seen this issue for from both sides, having lived in a country where I didn't speak the local language. Life is tough enough in that situation without having rednecks making life more difficult for no reason other than xenophobia.

I think you are a little severe in saying the objections are for no reason other than xenophobia. I think the job also requires more than the persons ability to drive . Surely, the assignment given to a driver is to transport the customer to his destination safely and by the shortest/quickest route. This is not always accomplished by drivers having limited English.

You, having lived in a country where (you) didn't speak the local language, would have more often than not provided the driver, usually in writing in the local language, with details of your destination. In similar circumstances here, you can still be frustrated by the drivers who still can't comprehend your requirements. I'm sure most regular users of taxis have had some experience where the driver's limited English has created problems. That, in all probability, is the major cause of the criticism more so than xenophobia .

 

[dan warna]

concur

a basic knowledge of english to obey street signs is required.

I believe you must be able to obey street signs to drive...

besides that the more culture the better.

as for muslims I spent some time at VUT.

italian catholics, Greek Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, lebenese muslims, Skippy athiests, chinese christians...etc etc... Its a great place.

Sure you get a few racist scumbags, but they are generally a minority.

radical muslims = radical christians = radical hindus = radical sikhs etc etc.

fruits the lot of them.

 

[Murray]

So even this site is not immune from the racists - who attempt to disguise their hatred as 'public interest'.

 

[Monkster]

So even this site is not immune from the racists - who attempt to disguise their hatred as 'public interest'.

I hope you don't mean me as one of the racists, I am merely a realist, immigrants should be expected to (for example) complete a drivers license test in English just as if I went to Italy (for example) I'd expect to have to do the test in Italian.

 

[PA HOG]

I believe people must have some basic english to drive on the roads in Australia.

Doesnt Chinese, Arabic etc etc use characters rather than the alphabet. If a person had no knowledge at all of English how would they read the road signs?

Please correct me if Im wrong.

From the Victoria Department of Infrastructure




Taxi Services Customer Charter

The State Government, in conjunction with the taxi industry, has introduced a Customer Charter for taxi services in Victoria. The charter covers the rights and responsibilities of taxi passengers and drivers.

Information on this page

• Background
• Customer rights and responsibilities
• Driver rights and responsibilities
• Further information, feedback and complains

Related information

• Taxi and hire car reform
• Taxi feedback and complaints
• Multi Purpose Taxi Program
• Security cameras in taxis
• Taxis
• Taxi fares in Victoria
• Taxis and hire cars

Background

In May 2002 the State Government announced a series of initiatives to improve the quality and efficiency of taxi and hire car services. These formed part of Taxi and hire car reform. The establishment of a Customer Charter for taxis was among the initiatives announced.

The charter has been developed in consultation with the taxi industry and major community groups. It details the rights and responsibilities of customers and taxi drivers to help set standards for service across the industry. It is based on requirements detailed in the Transport (Taxi-Cabs) Regulations 1994 as well as expected levels of behaviour.

Taxi drivers and operators are required to clearly display a sticker summarising the charter in their cabs.

top​

Customer rights and responsibilities

Detailed information is available from Taxi customer rights and responsibilities.

In summary, taxi customers have the right to:

• a driver who is licensed and certified
• choose a preferred route
• see the metered fare
• travel in a clean, tidy, well-maintained and roadworthy cab
• have the air conditioning turned on or off
• have the music system turned off
• be accompanied by a guide dog or hearing dog
• refuse a multiple hiring
• use an EFTPOS facility where available
• use valid credit or debit cards as displayed in the cab
• be given a receipt or tax invoice for their trip.

Taxi customers have a responsibility to:

• pay the correct fare, including any tolls or booking fees (see Taxi fares in Victoria for more information)
• wear a seat belt
• not request the driver to exceed the number of passengers permitted to be carried in the taxi.

top​

Driver rights and responsibilities

Detailed information is available from Taxi driver rights and responsibilities.

In summary, taxi drivers have the right to:

• ask for proof of ability to pay or request a deposit up to the estimated fare
• refuse to take passengers or terminate a hiring if they are violent, noisy, misbehaving, filthy or offensive.

Taxi drivers have a responsibility to:

• be courteous and helpful
• know and obey traffic laws
• not refuse a fare (other than for the reasons outlined above)
• know major routes and destinations
• understand and speak English
• take the most direct, practicable route
• be neat, clean and tidy
• wear an approved uniform
• assist passengers where reasonable and be understanding of people with special needs.

top​

Further information, feedback and complaints.

If you require further information about the Taxi services Customer Charter, contact the Victorian Taxi Directorate.

If you wish to provide feedback or make a complaint about a Victorian taxi, see Taxi feedback and complaints