'Bamboo Ceiling' inhibits Asian-Australians

By Xinhua in Sydney | China Daily | Updated: 2014-08-12 09:12

Australia's self-image as a successful multicultural society is getting a second look after research released on Monday has again exposed a "bamboo ceiling", in which Asian-Australians are vastly underrepresented in key leadership positions in both the public and private sectors.

While people from Asian backgrounds are surging through entry and midlevel jobs in the Australian business sector, they remain notably absent in leadership roles, according to Diversity Council Australia's latest research.

The research - Cracking the Cultural Ceiling: Future Proofing Your Business in the Asian Century - shows "the bamboo ceiling" is alive and stretching its canopy across key parts of Australia's diverse society.

According to the council, while 9.3 percent of the Australian labor force is Asian-born, only 4.9 percent have pushed through to the senior executive level.

In ASX 200 companies, only 1.9 percent of executives have Asian cultural origins, compared to 9.6 percent of the Australian community.

DCA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Annese said "the bamboo ceiling" is draining Australia of its viable talent.

"It is inconceivable that in a country where nearly 10 percent of the population is born in Asia or identify as having an Asian background that they should have such a low rate of representation in Australian corporate leadership," Annese said.

It's an issue close to the heart of the nation's race discrimination commissioner, Tim Soutphommasane.

Soutphommasane said that the chasm is even more damning, considering that children of Australians of migrant backgrounds were identifiably stronger in the classroom and the office compared with children of Australian-born parents.

"While Australia does extremely well in social mobility for immigrants, including those from Asia, equality of opportunity isn't enjoyed in all spheres. We may boast about education and employment, but our efforts in opening the doors of power to all who knock are more questionable."

Soutphommasane said there are only four members of Parliament here that can boast Asian cultural origins: Senators Penny Wong, Lisa Singh and Dio Wang, and House member Ian Goodenough.

In percentage terms, only 1.7 percent of those who sit in Parliament bear an Asian cultural background.

It is similar when it comes to the federal government bureaucracy: Only one of 17 federal departmental heads comes from an Asian cultural background.

Of the 64 deputy secretaries, only two have Asian origins.

Of the 81 departmental secretaries and deputy secretaries, there are a total of three - 3.8 percent.