Introduction
As an immigrant, post‐colonial and trading nation, Australia has inherited a complex linguistic demography with multiple language policy needs and interests and diverse language education challenges.
As a result, administrators, politicians and educators have needed to address a diverse range of language categories across several policy settings and in response to often conflicting language ideologies.
First, English, the national and de‐facto official language that arises in Australian policy history under several guises. Originally conceptualised in its British norms and character as symbol and link to British Empire loyalty and civilisation, English was later challenged by evolving Australian variations and local ideologies of communication (Leitner, 2004, Volume I; Ramson, 2002; Turner, 1997). Today, English is increasingly discussed either as a key tool for integrating minorities or commercially as a commodity traded in the delivery and accreditation of...
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Lo Bianco, J. (2008). Language Policy and Education in Australia. In: Hornberger, N.H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Language and Education. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-30424-3_25
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