Australian Human Rights Commission Australia and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), Shadow report to the CERD Committee – 8 July 2010 • the formation of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healing Foundation in October 2009. The Foundation will support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander healing initiatives at the community level, conduct health promotion and public education activities and undertake research and evaluation. 6 • the formation of the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples, in November 2009. The Congress is a new national representative voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. • The lifting of the suspension of the RDA for the NTER legislation in June 2010. 5.2 14. Migrants and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds There have been a number of positive developments in addressing racism against migrants and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. These have included: • the establishment of the Australian Multicultural Advisory Council in 2008. The Council provides advice to the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship and the Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services on cultural diversity and social cohesion. • the release of the Australian Multicultural Advisory Council’s the People of Australia Statement in April 2010, which was welcomed by the Australian Human Rights Commission. In particular, the Commission supports recommendation three which calls for the development of a coordinated national anti-racism strategy. • funding of the Commission’s Community Partnerships for Human Rights (CPHR) Program under the Australian Government’s National Action Plan to Build on Social Cohesion, Harmony and Security. The Commission received $ 4.1M funding over a four-year period from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. The program aimed to increase social inclusion and counter discrimination and intolerance directed at Australia’s Muslim communities. The program included eight projects, which focus on a range of areas including research, community education and participation and resource development. 5.3 15. Asylum seekers The Australian Human Rights Commission has welcomed positive reforms in the immigration area since the current Australian Government took office in late 2007. These have included: • the closure of the Australia’s offshore immigration detention centres in Nauru and Papua New Guinea 7