Developing suitable designators for a diverse society

Since the early 1980s the term non-English-speaking-background (NESB) has been used as an indicator of disadvantage in diverse social policy areas. By the 1990s, these included equal opportunity provisions in the Federal Public Service, in higher-education equity planning and the allocation of Commonwealth funds for disadvantaged schools at the primary and secondary level. Though many of these provisions remain in place, there has been a counter movement against continued use of NESB in this way. State governments, including the Victorian Government have played an important role in developing more appropriate indicators. This paper describes the view of the Victorian Government. Copyright. Monash University and the author/s