What is cultural respect?

Cultural respect in Australia is the expectation that different cultural traditions, practices, and identities are valued, accommodated, and treated with civility. It applies across the country's more than 270 ancestries and 300 languages, including the more than 60,000 years of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and the wide range of post-1788 migrant communities.

Cultural respect operates through a mix of law, policy, and everyday practice. The Racial Discrimination Act 1975 prohibits treating people less favourably because of their race or ethnic origin. State anti-discrimination laws extend the protection. The Australian multicultural framework, first articulated in 1973 and developed through the Galbally Report of 1978 and subsequent national multicultural policies, supports settlement, language services, and community development. Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country at the start of public events recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the original custodians.

Practical accommodations are widespread. Workplaces and schools allow leave for major religious holidays. Catering at events typically caters for halal, kosher, vegetarian, and vegan needs. Public buildings increasingly include prayer rooms and quiet spaces. School uniforms accommodate religious dress including hijab, kippah, and turban. Government forms are translated through TIS National (131 450) into more than 160 languages. Public broadcasters SBS and the ABC produce content in dozens of languages and formats.

Cultural respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures has deepened over recent decades. The 1992 Mabo decision, the National Apology of 13 February 2008, and the Closing the Gap framework refreshed in 2020 mark important milestones. NAIDOC Week each July, National Reconciliation Week from 27 May to 3 June, and National Sorry Day on 26 May are widely observed. The 2023 Voice referendum, defeated nationally with 60.1 per cent No, was a setback for one constitutional path but the broader work of reconciliation continues through Reconciliation Action Plans, treaty processes in some states, and ongoing cultural education in schools and workplaces.