Since 2007 the Scanlon Foundation in Melbourne has surveyed more than 24,000 people. The survey is undertaken in partnership with Monash University and the Australian Multicultural Foundation. It is the largest study of its kind. Importantly it monitors public attitudes on issues including Immigration, discrimination and belonging. Last week they released their latest findings. Some of these findings are highlighted below:

• Australia’s public sentiment towards immigration intake is possibly the most positive in the Western World. In 2014, 58% of people agree that the immigration intake is about right or too low. Only 35% of people surveyed considered that the rate of immigration was “too high”. This compares with the disapproval rates of immigration in the range of 60 to 75% in American and European surveys.
• Public concern over asylum seeker arrivals by boat has dropped. In 2013, the issue was seen as the major problem facing Australia by 12 % of people. In 2014, less than 4% of people hold the same view. Clearly this is a function of the lower numbers of boats that are arriving now as a result of the government’s “Stop the Boats” policies.
• Support for eligibility for permanent settlement for asylum seekers arriving by boat has risen, but remains a minority viewpoint. Just one in four people (24%) support asylum seekers arriving by boat to be eligible for permanent settlement.
• In terms of attitudes toward multiculturalism, 85% of people agree that it has been good for Australia, almost identical with the proportion in the 2013 survey. Attitudes toward multiculturalism differ among the Australian population, for example between third generation Australians and those from non-English speaking backgrounds.
• Experience of discrimination remains close to the highest level recorded since the surveys began – at 18% in 2014. Of those who reported experience of discrimination, 30% indicated that it was a frequent occurrence, at least once a month.
• Negative views toward Muslim faith groups are almost five times higher than negative views toward the other religions groups surveyed, Christian and Buddhist faiths.
• There are also concerns about the working of Australian democracy. Trust in government remains well below the level recorded in 2007-2009. While close to 90% of people agree that democracy, whatever its problems, is the best system of government, just 15% agree that the system works well as it is.
• 1 per cent of Australians felt strongly that it was important to maintain the Australian culture, a rise of 22 per cent since July this year.
• Lastly, in responding to an open-ended question, 17% of respondents cited terrorism and national security as the most important issue facing Australia. This issue was ranked second overall in the October poll. In June, just 1% of respondents nominated the same issue.

The Minister for Social Services Kevin Andrews had this to say of the Scanlon report:

“Overall the report showed Australia had a cohesive society. About 2500 people were surveyed across two polls which found high levels of belonging and broad public support for multiculturalism,” Andrews said.

“It found an almost unanimous (92 per cent) sense of belonging to Australia, pride in the Australian way of life (88 per cent) and that its maintenance was important (91 per cent).

“Support for multiculturalism remained strong, with 85 per cent of respondents agreeing that multiculturalism has been good for Australia.”

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There are some very pleasing results in this survey. The strong support for Multiculturalism and Immigration are comforting. At a time when much has been written and talked about in respect of these matters the support levels have remained historically high. This gives advocates, such as myself, immense heart that we have done the concept and policy of Multiculturalism very well in this country. This is also the essential difference between the way we have embraced the concept both at the community level and at the political level in a far more cohesive fashion than have other nations.