Appendix H: Diversity

The ALRC is committed to ensuring that all Australians are able to contribute to shaping the laws that affect them, and have the opportunity to participate in the law reform process. The ALRC recognises the diversity of the Australian community and has developed an Agency Multicultural Plan (AMP) that provides strategies for ensuring that ALRC processes are accessible and responsive to the diverse needs of this community. In working towards meaningful and ongoing dialogue with people from diverse backgrounds, the ALRC commits to:

• engage and consult with diverse groups, individuals and organisations;

• promote diverse representation in the ALRC workforce and internship program;

• promote understanding of issues relevant to diverse peoples amongst ALRC staff; and

• consider the impact on diverse peoples in developing recommendations for reform.

The ALRC’s workplace diversity statement commits the ALRC to foster a diverse workforce and to ensure that its recruitment processes are fair and accessible, including a commitment to attract and recruit people from diverse backgrounds and, wherever possible, to participate in whole-of-APS recruitment. A breakdown of staff by gender and classification is provided in Table 5.

Information about how people can engage with the law reform process and make submissions is available on the ALRC website in 21 community languages, including Auslan. These documents have also been produced in Easy English, for people with low English literacy skills.

Agency Multicultural Plan (AMP)

The ALRC’s Multicultural Plan commits the ALRC to multicultural access, equity and social inclusion. As a law reform body, the ALRC has the opportunity to contribute to social justice, equity and inclusion in Australia through reform of laws appropriate to the diversity of the Australian community. The ALRC has committed to engaging and consulting with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) organisations and communities and to consider the impact on CALD communities when formulating recommendations for law reform.

The ALRC’s AMP and a report for 2015–16 is available on the ALRC website at www.alrc.gov.au/about/policies/agency-multicultural-plan.

Reconciliation

The ALRC sees reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians as comprising both processes and outcomes—requiring meaningful and ongoing dialogue between Indigenous peoples and the ALRC. Respect for Indigenous peoples, participation of Indigenous peoples in ALRC inquiries, and consideration and understanding of issues that are important to Indigenous peoples, are considered essential features of the ALRC’s commitment to reconciliation.

The ALRC has a Reconciliation Statement and that commits the ALRC to:

• engage and consult with Indigenous groups, individuals and organisations;

• promote Indigenous representation in the ALRC workforce and internship program;

• promote a meaningful understanding of issues relevant to Indigenous peoples amongst ALRC staff;

• consider the impact on Indigenous peoples in developing recommendations for reform; and

• strive in all aspects of our work to protect and promote the rights of Indigenous peoples.

The ALRC’s Reconciliation Statement is on the ALRC website at www.alrc.gov.au/reconciliation-action-plan-2015-17.