Abstract
This paper aims to explain the significance of recent multiculturalization in Australian urban society. Since Gough Whitlam came to political power in 1972, Australia has been moving toward a multicultural society which respects all ethnic cultures equally under the law. Not only in governmental administration, but also in consumption activity, the influences of multiculturalism are outstanding nowadays. This social tendency is also evident in the food industry of this country. Formerly, it was said that Australian food was an imitation of simple British cuisine. But with the contribution of ethnic foods, imported from overseas by immigrants, the food of this country has become more varied, especially in urban areas. Like Sydney, Melbourne is widely known as a cosmopolitan city. In Melbourne the number of Asian restaurants is increasing rapidly. This phenomenon is the result of several factors such as, the high coefficient of utilization by ethnic communities, the inexpensive price of ethnic cuisines, and the diffusion of ethnic foods into the host society. According to earlier studies, immigrants from South East Asia and East Asia use restaurants frequently. However, even though the number of Asian immigrants is increasing significantly, they are still a minority group in Australia. To increase their market, ethnic restaurants have had to open their doors to the host society. It is often said that Asian foods are cheaper than European foods in Australia. Certainly, some Asian foods such as Chinese and Vietnamese are less expensive than European cuisines. This is one of the most important factors for restaurants to survive in the competitive food industry. The diffusion of restaurants into the host society varies from ethnic group to ethnic group. Some ethnic groups, such as the Chinese and Italian, are outstanding in the food industry. They easily appeal to and attract new customers from outside their ethnic communities. At the same time, Australian society has changed dramatically since the 1970s. For example, the enactment of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act helped to increase female workforce participation and consequently the number of dual income families. This social change has accelerated the increase in the number of consumers dining out which has aided growth in the ethnic restaurant portion of the Australian food industry.
