Strathfield Council mandates English on shop signs, sparking debate on multiculturalism
Consensus Summary
Strathfield Council in Sydney recently passed a motion requiring English to be 'clearly and prominently' displayed on shop signs, despite about 73% of households in the area speaking a non-English language at home. The proposal, first floated eight years ago, sparked backlash from critics who argue it oversteps council authority and fails to address actual issues. Liberal councillor Esther Kim, who proposed the motion, cited concerns about exclusion of non-English speakers, while Labor councillor Rory Nosworthy dismissed it as a 'non-issue,' noting most stores already include partial English signage. The Guardian reported that the move was condemned by Australia’s race discrimination commissioner as an example of systemic racism, while the SMH highlighted that only four of six councillors supported the motion. Both sources agree the policy does not ban other languages but emphasizes English prominence, though enforcement details remain unclear. Business owners like Vivek Shrestha, who relies on a Nepali-speaking customer base, expressed frustration, while others, such as Diana Son, who uses bilingual signs, see the regulation as unnecessary.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Strathfield council passed a motion requiring English to be 'clearly and prominently' displayed on shop signs, with no ban on other languages
- About 73% of households in Strathfield speak a non-English language at home
- The idea of regulating shop signage was first proposed eight years ago by Strathfield council
- Four councillors voted in favour of the motion, while two voted against it
- Liberal councillor Esther Kim proposed the motion, citing concerns about exclusion of non-English speakers
- Labor councillor Rory Nosworthy voted against the motion, calling it 'a bit of a non-issue' and stating 'The majority of stores already have partial English signage'
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Vivek Shrestha, who owns the Strathfield Veggie Shed, has displayed a Nepali sign for the past four years and claims 90% of his customers are Nepalese
- The 21-year-old university student Olivia Toms called the move 'kind of crazy' and suggested the government should pay for new signage if enforced
- Australia’s race discrimination commissioner, Giridharan Sivaraman, described the move as an example of 'systemic racism in operation'
- In the early 2000s, a number of Sydney councils began to stipulate or encourage the use of English on shop signs
- Cumberland city council, where almost 74% of households speak a non-English language, states that advertising and signage 'shall be displayed in English but may include a translation in another language'
- Esther Kim migrated to Australia almost 40 years ago from South Korea and believes requiring English on signs would attract more diners to the area’s 'Koreatown'
- There are more than 7300 businesses in Strathfield, and about 73 per cent of the local government area’s 45,000 residents speak a language other than English
- The council is preparing a report outlining existing policies on multilingual signage, with recommendations to 'promote clear and accessible communication for all residents'
- Independent councillor Matthew Blackmore conceded he had only seen a handful of shops that did not comply with English signage
- The council did not clarify how many complaints it had received about the matter in the past year
- Federico Carucci, a worker at Italian cafe Barone, said the council was 'filling their time' with the regulation
- Diana Son, who has owned FM Beauty Salon for more than three decades, said customers had 'common sense' and that her salon uses both Korean and English on signs
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian states that Strathfield council sought to limit community languages to no bigger than 30% of English signage eight years ago, while the SMH does not mention this specific percentage restriction
- The Guardian mentions that the council’s development control plan states advertising and signage 'shall be displayed in English but may include a translation in another language,' while the SMH does not reference this exact policy wording
Source Articles
‘Systemic racism at work’: Sydney council plan for compulsory English shop signage condemned as ‘kind of crazy’
Strathfield council plan ridiculed for making life harder for small business and failing to consult local communities Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Along a bustling street in Sydney’s west, Asian grocers sit alongside Nepalese restaurants displaying images of the tantalising curries inside. Here, on one of Strathfield’s busiest commercial streets, a Nepalese grocer is nestled between a 7-Eleven and a medical cl
Sydney council plans to make English compulsory for all shop signs
Some say the move would foster unity, while others say it is up to shop owners and an example of Strathfield Council “overreach”.