Fed: Federal government praises banning of foreign signs

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Fed: Federal government praises banning of foreign signs

CANBERRA, Feb 12 AAP - The federal government today praised moves by a Sydney councilto ban foreign-language signs in shopfronts.

Multicultural Affairs Minister Gary Hardgrave said foreign-language signs should onlybe legal if they were accompanied by an English translation.

He was responding to a policy released for public comment by Auburn Council in Sydney'swestern suburbs, which has a large migrant population, to outlaw foreign-language signsunless they are matched with an English version.

Mr Hardgrave said Sydney's Hurstville City Council would launch a similar draft policy in March.

"English is the national language of Australia," he said.

"The government provides 510 hours of English-language classes to eligible migrantsthrough the $100 million Adult Migrant English Program, and we encourage all Australiansto read and speak the national tongue."

Mr Hardgrave said comments by the chairman of the NSW Community Relations Commission,Stepan Kerkyasharian, that the Auburn Council policy could set a precedent were out oftouch.

"Mr Kerkyasharian seems to have forgotten an overriding commitment to Australia isparamount," he said.

"The use of languages other than English help strengthen our society's structure butthe key is English-language use."

Mr Hardgrave said multiculturalism was about feeling free to practise and share cultureswithin an overriding commitment to Australia.

"It is not about a nation of separate communities," he said.

"It is about loyalty to Australia, its language, its people and its laws.

"Surely it makes good business sense to have signage that appeals to a broader potentialmarket and I welcome the fact that the Auburn Chamber of Commerce is right behind thecouncil on this."

AAP sm/sb/pw/de

KEYWORD: LANGUAGE