The migrant population that arrived in Australia in the late 1940's and early 1950's are now well advanced in years. Using the figures extracted from the ABS 1991 Census as a guide the age profile presented in Table 1 below is established. As at 1991 the distribution is:
Age (years) |
Males |
Females |
Persons |
50 - 54 |
71 |
96 |
167 |
55 - 59 |
57 |
71 |
128 |
60 - 64 |
88 |
58 |
146 |
65 - 69 |
207 |
111 |
318 |
70 - 74 |
118 |
83 |
201 |
75 and over |
127 |
130 |
257 |
All ages |
668 |
549 |
1217 |
Table 1: Age distribution of Lithuanian Migrants - 1991
Note: Regard needs to be paid to the earlier observation that we are not comfortable with the accuracy of these figures as we believe that they understate the actual population count.
Having worked and contributed to the building of Australia this generation of Australian Lithuanians are increasingly becoming infirmed, needing of care and assistance, frequently isolated and lonely. Though many still live in their own homes, many are also scattered singularly throughout Nursing Homes. The social, medical and cultural needs of these people are not being met as effectively as we believe their needs dictate. To date the Clustering of the individuals into specific Nursing Homes is still an objective to be realised. Isolation through the loss of English language skills, attributed to the ageing process, further compounds the situation.
The Community lacks the resources to employ their own Social and Medical workers to attend to their needs in a culturally sensitive way. The death of Monsignor Petras Butkus MBE left only one Chaplain, Rev. Povilas Martuzas, to service the Community, and he himself is invalided. The only visitations, help and comforting to these people comes from volunteer members of the "Socialines Globos Moteru Draugija", and they themselves are not only stretched but also receive little in the way of any external funding. The Executive Committee of the Community are actively committed to assisting and supporting these ladies in their efforts to gain an Aged Care Package for the provision of required help and services to the Lithuanian elderly. We see the current situation as being equally one of `Access and Equity' for the Community and its elderly members.
At the other end of the spectrum are the concerns about the progressive loss of cultural diversity through loss of Lithuanian language transfer to the youth of the Community. Though it is only natural to argue, easily and readily accepted, that with time all migrant communities need to integrate fully into the societal fabric of Australia, we are, however, concerned that this occur without avoidable cultural losses.
The Lithuanian Community is at a mature integration stage. The original migrants integrated well, their children and their offspring are totally integrated into Australian Society, into its customs, norms and ways. We do not believe however, that complete integration requires of itself total loss of heritage, total loss of their parents and grandparents culture. Such losses are, we believe, losses to Australia's cultural diversity.
As previously noted, the weakest aspect of the Community today is its problem with language and culture transfer through its Saturday School. Essentially the problem is gaining access to Teaching resources. Pupils can be found and enrolled, however, with suitably qualified or capable people to undertake teaching duties being in short supply, strategic answers need to be found. One possible solution would be to gain access, on a fixed term basis, to a qualified teacher from Lithuania, possibly through an exchange program organised by the Department of Education, who could assist both with the preparation of teaching materials and the training of Saturday School teachers. The level of financial input required to undertake and support such a program is outside the capability of the Community. Funding of educational material acquisition may be another option.
Problems with basic language skill transfer has flow on effects. It can ultimately lead to insufficient speakers amongst our youth and thus threaten the viability of Lithuanian as a HSC subject. It has already had impact on recruitment to SBS Radio, as outlined in 5.3 below.
The Lithuanian language skill problem surfaced recently when two candidates for the position of Journalist - Broadcaster with SBS Radio failed to pass the Sydney entry exams. SBS Radio advised that the inability of the Community to supply suitably competent candidates has resulted in the decision to close the Sydney positions. Broadcast production and translation will now be from Melbourne only. The Community sees this as a regrettable outcome. The Community vocally demanded during the Annual General Meeting of the Community, (held on the 11/9/94), that the Executive Committee pursue this issue with SBS and attain a reversal of the decision. This is a less than an academic issue to the Community. The Community was forced to fight SBS some three years ago to stop it from totally closing the Lithuanian language service. Radio is frequently the only medium of information and contact with the Community that the elderly, infirmed, the blind, or geographically isolated members of the Community have with the core. Loss of this medium is a totally unacceptable proposition to the Lithuanian Community.
In part the problem seems to lie within the perception that SBS will not employ as Journalist-Broadcasters individuals aged around or above 65 years. People of this age group have been forced to vacate their positions with SBS whilst still being fully capable of continuing the work. We are uncertain how age discrimination legislation applies to this Federal jurisdiction. It is within this age group of people that the Community could easily find competent bilingual native speakers who could work the hours and perform the duties required by SBS. It is also this group of people who could act as trainers and mentors to younger candidates, preparing them for the rigours of the position.
Low Lithuanian migration rates, relative to other migrant groups, do not provide the depth, breadth and diversity of talent required by the Lithuanian Community to supplement it in its areas of need. Frequently it appears that government and agencies do not take this into account when dealing with the less populous communities.
It shows clearly that we need to develop strategies and policies to redress language skill loss. Though SBS Radio comes under a Federal jurisdiction, the assistance of State Ministries could be of significant help.
As mentioned in section 3.3 above the Lithuanian Community has historically been self-funding, providing through internal donations the funds required to finance its activities. Only on very rare occasions has the Lithuanian Community received outside funding, particularly funding from government, its agencies or similar. Internal self-funding has invariably meant that the scarcity of funds limited the breath and scope of the activities the Lithuanian Community could undertake. Regardless, the Community believes that through good husbandry (management) and self-help it has achieved a significant amount over the past 47 years.
The primary sponsors of the Community's activities have been the original migrant group. With their ageing and substantially reduced income base, the level of donations has dropped dramatically. The younger, locally born members of the Community are significantly less generous with their donations. Equally, economic circumstances over the past few years have not been particularly kind. The Community now finds that its ability to finance its activities is severely constrained.
Having rarely applied for grants and funding in the past, the Community has not developed the network and sponsors required for successful bidding against applications submitted by other Ethnic Communities. The required nous and knowledge of the System need to be acquired. This is a new skill base that the Community and its Executive Committee need to learn. Advice on program availability, contacts, sensitivity to our applications etc. would be of significant benefit.
A perception felt within the Lithuanian Community is that due to its relatively small size it figures least in the minds and thinking of government and agency strategists, policy makers, and service providers. Big is always perceived to be beautiful. Big ethnic communities always have more easily visible needs; ultimately significantly more political power, more votes. Big communities equally have available more internal resources, both human and financial. We request on an Access and Equity basis, that the tyranny of size not be allowed to swamp the interests of smaller Communities, including our own.
The Lithuanian Community's Chaplains are almost exclusively made up of those who migrated to Australia with the bulk of the original Community members. Their ages are advanced, their health poor. Three out of eight priests died in the past three years. All were active in their Chaplaincy work at the time of their death; all were in their mid to late 70's. The deaths of the remainder over the coming years will provide a severe blow to the Community. We have little expectation that replacement priests will be available from Lithuania. The Community believes that this is one issue well beyond its ability or that of the Archbishop of Sydney to solve.
The Australian Lithuanian Community is at maturation stage in its organisational, cultural and ethnic composition life-cycle. This throws up new challenges, and dare we say new opportunities. Sociologically, all major migrations have ultimately dispersed into their new societies. Recognising that the founders of the present Community structures, organisational forms, keepers of the Culture and the organisational culture, are rapidly drawing to the end of their active days, the Executive Committee is studying its future directions.
There are emerging the first signs of a preparedness to accept that fundamental changes are required in the definition of Community, Mission, and Purpose. A new vision of the future needs to be developed, communicated, debated, and ultimately developed. This process has just begun in the Community. English will by necessity become the main language of communication. A community of interest, rather than a community of direct heritage is likely to evolve. Only the future will show what ultimately transpires.
In the interim we face the issues briefly described above. There are many others not touched upon in this background briefing paper. We look forward to working actively with the Minister's Department and the Ethnic Affairs Commission over the coming years in both meeting our obligations as Australian Citizens, as members of Australian Society, and as members of an Ethnic Community. Any assistance and support we receive along the way will be graciously accepted.
(c)ALC-Sydney