スコット･モリソン
This year has asked a great deal of our multicultural communities. You’ve all been called on to make some very big sacrifices. Especially when it comes to the social networks that bind you. And your community and cultural activities, that reach out and bring joy to so many Australians.
You’ve all played a part, you’ve done whatever it takes, to keep each other safe. That’s also meant enduring enormous disruption to your all-important faith traditions.
Your perseverance and sacrifices underscore why Australia is the most successful multicultural nation in the world. A place where we all buy in and draw strength from our shared values – such as mutual respect and individual responsibility.
By your efforts, you have helped the country that you have adopted – and that we all love – to lead the world in our response to the pandemic.
So today, I say thank you to our multicultural communities for everything you have done to help get us through this difficult year. Leading on the health response has also enabled Australia to lead on the economic response.
The task now is to complete the transition to a business-led economic recovery in a COVIDsafe way.
Our hard-working multicultural communities and citizens will be critical to this ambition. That’s because they’re more likely to start and own a business. They’re more likely to employ other Australians.
With eight out of 10 jobs in the private sector, we need businesses back out there employing
people, investing and claiming the new ground. Our Government will be supporting you, having already brought forward tax cuts and delivered a range of business incentives.
The recovery must also be about maximising job outcomes for migrants by helping them gain a strong command of English.
With this in mind, we recently made substantial changes to our Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP). The $1 billion program (over four years) provides eligible migrants with a legislated entitlement of 510 hours of free language tuition, but only 21 per cent have been leaving with functional spoken English.
Learning a new language is complex and takes time. Research shows 510 hours is insufficient to reach functional English, and that for many people around 2000 hours may be required.
Our changes mean that more migrants will be able to access free English language tuition for longer and until they reach a higher level of proficiency.
As we look ahead to a better and brighter 2021, the unprecedented focus and investment on a coronavirus vaccine is returning very good early results. I believe we will see a vaccine next year –
boosting capacity and confidence around our ability to live and work with COVID-19.
Science and research is not just helping us fight the virus. It’s at the heart of helping our economy and society grow back stronger. Australians overwhelmingly appreciate the enormous contribution of our multicultural communities. During this pandemic year, we’ve seen again why.
We’re getting through this together. And I know people everywhere are excited about a return to the national days and the cultural and religious events, festivals and celebrations that make multicultural Australia so special.
I wish everyone a Merry Christmas, a wonderful summer and a happier new year.
※本誌締切日の関係で12月8日時点に頂戴した2020年の総括メッセージを掲載しております
菅義偉
オーストラリアにお住まいの邦人、日系人の皆様、令和3（2021）年の年頭に当たり、謹んで新年のお慶びを申し上げます。
新型コロナウイルスの感染が続き、経済状況も依然厳しい中にあって、我が国は、国民の皆様一人ひとりのお力により、着実に歩みを進めております。昨年初来のウイルスとの闘いに、医療、保健所、介護の現場で昼夜を問わず御尽力いただいている全ての皆様に、心より感謝を申し上げます。
菅内閣は、国民の皆様の命と暮らしを守り抜くことを固くお誓いし、感染拡大防止と経済回復に、引き続き総力を挙げて取り組んでまいります。皆様と共に、この未曾有の危機を乗り越え、ポストコロナの新しい社会をつくり上げてまいります。
140万人以上の在留邦人の方々、380万人以上の日系人の方々が、世界各地で暮らしています。これまで様々な困難を乗り越え、誠実で勤勉な御努力により地域の発展に貢献された皆様の歩みに改めて思いを馳せ、日系社会が地域の発展に貢献し高く評価されていることを、大変誇りに思います。
そして、今年の夏、世界の団結の象徴となる東京オリンピック･パラリンピック競技大会を開催いたします。安全･安心な大会を実現すべく、しっかりと準備を進めてまいります。2025年大阪･関西万博についても、ポストコロナを見据え、日本の魅力を世界に発信するものとして準備を進めてまいります。
皆様には、引き続き日本とオーストラリアを結びつける絆として、日豪関係の更なる発展、世界における日本の魅力の一層の発信に向け、引き続きお力添えいただきますよう、宜しくお願い申し上げます。
皆様の御健勝と御多幸、そして一層の御活躍を心から祈念いたしまして、新年の御挨拶とさせていただきます。
（提供：内閣広報室）
