The Rt. Hon. Malcolm Fraser, (Prime Minister of Australia from 1975-1983) launches "The Promise of Diversity" at Armagh, the Initiatives of Change centre in Melbourne, Australia. The book, written by John Hartwell Williams and John Bond (both full-time IofC workers) is a biography of Professor Jerzy Zubrzycki, known as "the father of multiculturalism in Australia". Jubrzycki was a Polish sociologist who came to Australia after World War II. As a sociologist in the Austrlian capital, Canberra, he was instrumental in shaping the policies which have made Australia one of the most successful multicultural societies in the world (although still not without problems).
Introducing the book, Malcolm Fraser paid tribute to a man he had known personally and attacked the politicians past and present who try to make political capital out of racial or religious differences. In particular he attacks the current narrow, xenophobic, political debate on refugees saying that it is causing damage to Australia's reputation around the world.
The book is published by Grosvenor Books Australia, 226 Kooyong Road, Toorak, VIC 3142. email grosvenor.books@au.iofc.org Tel. 03 9822 1218