POLICING FOR A MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY AWARD

Ms THOMPSON (Reynell) (14:45): My question is to the Minister for Multicultural Affairs. Will the minister inform the house about the new Policing for a Multicultural Society awards?

The Hon. M.J. ATKINSON (Croydon—Attorney-General, Minister for Justice, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (14:45): On 19 August, the Lieutenant-Governor of South Australia and Chairman of the South Australian Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs Commission, Mr Hieu Van Le, presented the first Policing for a Multicultural Society Award. The recipient was 40 year old Probationary Constable Jason Marchioro, who had been posted to the Holden Hill local service area. PC Marchioro, who was a footings contractor before joining SA Police, is a second generation Italian; however, the award is open to cadets from any background.

The award recognises a graduating police cadet who shows the highest level of appreciation and understanding of migrants, refugees and cultural diversity as they relate to policing throughout his or her nine month training at the Police Academy. As there are eight or nine graduations each year, this means that eight or nine awards will be presented each year.

During each graduating recruit course, police cadets participate in a study of multiculturalism—something the Leader of the Opposition could well do with. As well as classroom lectures, there is a written assignment—

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The Hon. M.J. ATKINSON: —and an activity where cadets interact in a community event with people from a non English-speaking background. I notice that the Leader of the Opposition was interjecting. I suppose that this is more than the Leader of the Opposition has managed to achieve in most of the weeks in which she has been the opposition spokesman on multicultural affairs. One might say that when it comes to multicultural affairs she is 'Invisobel'.

In choosing suitable Policing for Multicultural Society Award recipients, South Australian police will use these criteria: the results of a written assignment on multicultural issues, involvement in multicultural community events, understanding of multiculturalism in Australia and understanding of racism and its effects in our society.

I am pleased that the Lieutenant-Governor, in his capacity as the Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs chairman, has initiated this new award. I understand that the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service chief officer, Grant Lupton, who attended the police graduation ceremony on 19 August, was so impressed by the idea that he is keen to set up a similar award for MFS graduates.

Such awards, apart from recognising the importance and understanding of the value of multiculturalism in Australia, also improve the training of emergency services personnel, such as police cadets and firefighters. I commend South Australia Police and other services for readily agreeing to institute these new awards, and I hope that they are the first of many across all areas.