Published online by Cambridge University Press: 16 October 2009
Although English fulfills many of the functions of an official language in Australia, the Australian Constitution does not declare it to be the official language. Instead, it serves as the lingua franca of a culturally and linguistic diverse population. It is the language of Parliament and Administration, and the language in which official records are kept. Only on one occasion was a federal government bill passed multilingually, the Report and Recommendations of the Review of Programs and Services for Migrants (in 1978), which was written in ten languages other than English.