Diversity and opportunity
“My former role as a Multicultural Liaison Officer provided me with a fantastic opportunity to interact with people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. I enjoyed the role and learnt a lot about different cultures and religions. I am also interested in working with the International Deployment Group, using my cultural knowledge to help people deploying overseas.”
Sam Huang, AFP College
Why diversity makes us strong
Diversity makes the AFP stronger because:
- a diverse organisation operates more effectively in Australia’s multicultural community
- diversity improves communication with international law enforcement partners through understanding and respect for diverse cultures
- diverse backgrounds, talents and experiences bring new and creative responses to issues and challenges.
Support for a diverse workforce
The AFP is an equal opportunity employer and aims to do more than merely comply with all relevant government legislation. It recognises that diversity is not just about culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, but also about gender, sexual orientation, age, attitude and the differences these bring to effective policing.
The AFP supports diversity in several ways, for example through:
- the Employee Assistance Program which provides external support for members and their families
- the Malunggang Indigenous Officers Network which supports the recruitment and career development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- support for community events and celebrations such as Harmony Day, Disability Day and NAIDOC Week
- Gay and Lesbian Officer Network which provides support to its members and advises management on strategies and initiatives relevant to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex (GLBTI) communities
- the Women’s Network which aims to support, encourage and network by providing leadership to women in the organisation and developing and implementing strategies to meet a wide range of interests and needs
- the internal network of Harassment Contact Officers and Confidantes which provides support to anyone who may need it
- the Work/Life Diversity program, which aims to encourage managers and employees to value diversity
- the Employee Management Plan through which managers are accountable for work/home/life balance strategies for themselves and their team
- the appointment of staff with key roles in building relationships within the AFP and the broader community, including GLBTI and Indigenous community officers.
A key aim of the AFP’s Worklife Diversity Program is to foster a harmonious working environment. An important strategy is to teach AFP employees to value cultural and individual differences and to treat all people with respect. Diversity is a hands-on reality for the AFP. The strategy for building partnerships and increasing staff satisfaction is outlined in the Diversity Program 2007-2011 (PDF, 1.08 MB).