Voices of Australia

S1 E8 | Diversity and representation in media with Mariam Veiszadeh

The media provides a major avenue for working through debates about social issues and the values of Australian society in the public sphere. But there is a fine line between facilitating debate and causing division.
CEO of Media Diversity Australia, Mariam Veiszadeh joins us on the podcast to explore the critical relationship between social cohesion and the media in Australia.
 
Guest biography
Mariam Veiszadeh is an award winning human rights advocate, lawyer, diversity and inclusion practitioner, contributing author and media commentator.
Mariam was most recently an Executive Director at Diversity Council of Australia, founded the Islamophobia Register Australia, and has held multiple board positions.
She has delivered a TEDxSydney talk advocating for greater cultural diversity, was featured as an Anti-Racism Champion by the Australian Human Rights Commission and currently sits on the Commission’s Expert Advisory Group for the Workplace Cultural Diversity Tool as well their Multicultural Advisory Group. Mariam has worked as radio commentator for the ABC radio and as a columnist for Fairfax media.
With many accolades to her name including the Fairfax Daily Life 2016 Woman of the year, the 2015 Westpac Woman of Influence and Welcoming Australia Life Member Award in 2021, Mariam is renowned for influencing positive change both in the workplace and in society more broadly.
Mariam was born in Afghanistan and came to Australia in 1990 with her family as a refugee.

S1 E7 | How to create an inclusive political system with Dr. Marija Taflaga

What does a genuinely inclusive political system really look like?
Joining the podcast to help us unpack this question is Dr. Marija Taflaga, a lecturer in the School of Politics and International Relations and co-host of the Democracy Sausage Podcast.In this episode we ask Dr. Taflaga:
What is political participation and why is it important to social cohesion and our democracy?
What insights can we draw on from the 2022 Federal election and the rise of independents?
Should political leaders change the way they engage with cultural communities?
What impact do political campaigns and advertising have on social cohesion?
 
Guest Biography
 
Dr Marija Taflaga is the Director of The Australian National University (ANU) Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a lecturer in the ANU School of Politics and International Relations. Her research area covers Australian political history and systems and the relationship between the executive and parliament.Recently, she has begun researching the career paths of political elites to better understand how previous related political experience impacts prospective politicians’ overall success in elected politics.Marija is also the co-host of Democracy Sausage podcast which covers Australian Politics.

S1 E6 | Multiculturalism and Social Cohesion - Are they the same thing? with Aleem Ali

What is the relationship between social cohesion and concepts such as multiculturalism?
Joining us in this episode is the CEO of Welcoming Australia, Aleem Ali to help us unpack the concepts of social cohesion and multiculturalism and discuss how Australia can become a more welcoming society. 

S1 E5 | What impacts Social Cohesion? with Ro Allen

'A cohesive society doesn't box people into one identity.'Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Office Commissioner, Ro Allen, joins hosts, Anthea Hancocks and Lydia Tesema on the podcast. In this episode we discuss:
How fear and ignorance prevent an inclusive society.
How Ro's experiences in the church helped shape their commitment to social justice.
The need to better appreciate intersectionality and the burden of continually asking communities to educate others about their culture.
How to leverage your privilege without being patronising.
Want to contribute to the conversation? Send us your reflections and comments to: info@scanloninstitute.org.auYou can also Tweet us @Scanlon_Inst
 
Guest Biography: Ro Allen
Ro Allen is the Commissioner at the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission.
A longstanding advocate for LGBTIQ Victorians and has held leadership positions in the community and government sectors. [Ro has been a member of three Victorian Government LGBTI ministerial advisory groups and chaired the ministerial advisory committee on LGBTI Health and Wellbeing between 2007 and 2009.
As founding CEO of UnitingCare Cutting Edge, Ro established Victoria’s first rural support group for young LGBTI people, giving Ro a deep understanding of the issues faced in rural and regional areas.
Ro has been recognised for extensive community service and is the recipient of a Centenary Medal in 2003 and in 2009 was inducted into the Victorian Government Honour Roll.

S1 E4 | How to strengthen social cohesion with Vivienne Nguyen AM and Hanad Hersi

How can decision-makers empower communities? What do we gain from better appreciating our shared interests and aspirations?
Joining us in the fourth episode of the Voices of Australia Podcast, Victorian Multicultural Commission Chairperson Vivienne Nguyen and Youth Activating Youth Programs Manager Hanad Hersi help us reflect on what strengthens social cohesion within and between communities.In this episode we cover:
The key blocks to building new migrant communities in Australia.
Why sport is a common second language in Australia and the time Hanad’s mum ran onto the street to celebrate that famous John Aloisi penalty ⚽
The roles safety and identity play in social cohesion.
The lessons Vivienne and Hanad learnt from working on the ground during the public housing hard lockdowns in 2020.
Voices of Australia is a Scanlon Foundation Research Institute podcast exploring all things interesting in the world of social cohesion.We’d love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to info@scanloninstitute.org.auYou can also Tweet us @Scanlon_Inst
 
Guests Biographies
 
Vivienne Nguyen - Chairperson, Victorian Multicultural Commission
For over 25 years Viv has been a leader in corporate, community and government settings, applying her business knowledge and technical expertise to work with community organisations to advance their social objectives. She held executive roles at AustChoice Financial Services, AMP Asset Management and ANZ Banking Group, where she led their global diversity strategy. At the community level, Viv led the Vietnamese Community in Australia’s Victorian Chapter from 2015 to 2019, where she ran the Vietnamese Australian Museum Project and strengthened the Dual Identity Leadership Program.
In 2002, Viv was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll for advocating for women’s leadership and supporting young Vietnamese people. In 2003, she was awarded the Australian Centenary Medal and in 2021 was awarded the Australian Order in the AM division for advancing multicultural Victoria.
Hanad Hersi - Programs Manager, Youth Activating Youth
Hanad Hersi a youth advocate, works tirelessly to ensure that young people from diverse backgrounds have access to opportunities and are given the resources they need to prosper and lead fulfilled lives.
Hanad became interested in social services because of his love of travelling. For the past five years, Hanad, a grassroots community advocate, has worked to ensure that the voices of diverse community groups are heard, valued, and included in decision-making processes. Hanad has worked in the development and youth engagement space.
A member of the VMC's regional advisory council, Hanad collaborates with community organisations, councils, and businesses to promote multiculturalism and increase social cohesion.
Programs Manager at Youth Activating Youth, Hanad spends his days working with vulnerable young people who are at risk of disengaging from the education system, or who are at risk of coming in contact with the criminal justice system

S1 E3 | What does social cohesion look like? with Professor Kate Reynolds & Fred Alale

What does it look like when people trust others, feel like they belong, and participate in their community? Are these the only ways to understand social cohesion?
Joining us in the third episode of the Voices of Australia Podcast, Professor Kate Reynolds and Fred Alale help us reflect on what we mean when we strive for a cohesive society.In this episode we discuss:
 How a quick google search helped convince Fred Alale to move to Australia.
Social cohesion as an outcome of great intergroup relations.
Why it’s sometimes easier to understand social cohesion by examining workplaces and sports teams.
The role individual identity and experiences play on social cohesion.
The new phase of Australia’s ‘integration’ journey post-covid.
Voices of Australia is a Scanlon Foundation Research Institute podcast exploring all things interesting in the world of social cohesion.You can find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
 
Guest Bios
Professor Kate Reynolds
Kate Reynolds is a Professor of Psychology at the Australian National University (ANU). Her research addresses group processes and intergroup relations and it is informed by a social identity perspective. She is interested in broad research questions about the impact of groups and group norms on individuals’ attitudes, well-being and behaviour. Kate has published over 100 journal articles, book chapters and co-edited book volumes and her research has appeared in highly regarded scientific journals and has received attention from the media. She is currently involved in a large scale inter-disciplinary study on social cohesion, diversity and integration, which looks to better understand social cohesion and how to strengthen it by working closely with public policy, social and business enterprises, local government and community organisationsFred Alale Director, Policy, High Risk Industries Operations at Department of Justice and Community Safety, VictoriaFred Alale is a public service senior professional with over 20 years policy, project management and system-wide improvement experience across the public and private sectors (including Big 4 Management Consulting – EY, KPMG & Deloitte) in Australia and the UK. He is currently working as part of Victorian government efforts to keep Victorian businesses compliant with the Public Health Officer Directions as a Director, Policy and Enforcement Review Office.Fred is also active within the African Australian communities where he serves on a number of Boards including, Chair of the African Music and Cultural Festival and the Treasurer of Africa Day Australia Incorporated. He is also a member of the Government’s Victorian African Communities Action Plan (VACAP) implementation committee.

S1 E2 | Why study social cohesion? with Andrew Markus AO

Emeritus Professor Andrew Markus AO joins hosts, Anthea Hancocks and Lydia Tesema for the second episode of the Voices of Australia Podcast.
Professor Markus takes us through an overview of what 15 years of measuring social cohesion has taught us about Australia.
Andrew Markus AO Biography:
Andrew Markus, is an Emeritus Professor at Monash University’s School of International, Historical and Philosophical Studies. His research specialisation is in the field of racial and ethnic relations, ethnic communities, and immigration policy.Since 2007, Professor Markus has been the author of this globally recognised, ground-breaking analysis of Australians' perceptions of migration, multiculturalism, trust in government and indicators of social cohesion.The exceptional work is the only ongoing study of its kind in the world, charting the Australian population’s views every year. This study has received national and international recognition for this ground breaking research. Markus authored the unparalleled Australia@2015 project.This landmark research initiative included a survey in 20 languages, completed by more than 10,000 respondents, and more than fifty focus groups conducted in four states. More recently, Professor Markus designed and implemented the inaugural Australian Cohesion Index.
His first survey of Australian attitudes towards immigrants was conducted in south-east Melbourne in the 1990s.He has led two national surveys on attitudes within the Jewish community. Since 2004 he has been a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia

S1 EP1 | What is social cohesion? with Dr Hass Dellal

Australian Multicultural Foundation's Dr Hass Dellal joins hosts, Anthea Hancocks and Lydia Tesema for the very first episode of Voices of Australia to discuss Voices of Australia is a Scanlon Institute podcast hosted by Anthea Hancocks and Lydia Tesema about all interesting things related to the world of social cohesion. In this episode we discuss:
How Dr Hass Dellal defines social cohesion.
What impact his family's move to Turkey at 12 years old on his life?
What social cohesion looks like in practice?
Who is responsible for promoting social cohesion?
Voices of Australia is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.We’d love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to info@scanloninstitute.org.auYou can also Tweet us @Scanlon_Inst

Preview: Voices of Australia Podcast

What is social cohesion? Is it a feeling, a goal, or a process? Depending on who you ask you’re likely to get a different answer. To help us navigate this topic, this week we are launching the Voices of Australia Podcast– a podcast exploring all things interesting about social cohesion in Australia. Hosted by the Scanlon Institute CEO Anthea Hancocks and Below the Surface magazine founder, Lydia Tesema, this podcast is filled with insightful perspectives from a range of diverse voices on how to create a cohesive society. The first series unpacks the question: ‘What is Social Cohesion?’ With the help of fascinating guests that come from a range of diverse cultural and professional backgrounds, we challenge listeners to rethink this all-encompassing term and reflect on their own personal and professional relationships with social cohesion.