EXCLUSIVE New findings show a troubling fall in a "sense of belonging" across the community as more people switch off from society, sparking calls to reinforce the importance of citizenship. 
As the federal government toughens citizenship laws in the name of national security, the findings acknowledge the risk of having large parts of the community feeling "disconnected" from the society around them.
Those reporting a sense of -belonging to a "great extent" fell from 77 per cent in 2007 to 66 per cent last year, a report by -Monash University's Scanlon Foundation says.
In the same period, those -reporting a direct experience of discrimination because of their skin colour, ethnic origin or -religion doubled to 18 per cent. -Almost three in 10 people who -answered the survey said they -experienced discrimination at least once a month.
The findings appear set to -influence the federal government's approach to citizenship laws, as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Services Concetta Fierravanti-Wells holds consultations with community groups over whether to toughen laws to remove citizenship on -security grounds.
The study draws on eight years of work by the foundation to map social cohesion. It -concludes a stronger sense of citizenship is vital, and discrimination is part of the problem. "The concern regarding the fall in the sense of belonging is that it has been a steady decline and at the same time there has been a steady increase in the -experience of discrimination," said Scan-lon Foundation chief executive Anthea Hancocks. "It does not appear to be a blip." One proposal in the paper is to offer more civics education in primary and high schools.
The paper shows the growing potential for new migrants to be disengaged from Australian life and stay more connected to their former homes via the internet and satellite television.
"Could these new forms of connectedness come at the cost of full involvement in Australian society, diminishing the capacity to -engage in current issues and -debates?" the paper asks. "It is now possible for new arrivals to be here but not here." Overall, Australians have a very strong sense of identification with their country; 92 per cent of respondents had a "sense of -belonging" last year, down from 95 per cent three years ago. However, within this group, the fall in those feeling belonging to a "great extent" was concerning, the paper said.
Senator Fierravanti-Wells said this should be set against the finding that most have a strong sense of commitment to Australia: "It doesn't ring alarm bells because in the overall findings, we are seeing very high levels ... expressing a sense of belonging." She said the increase in the -experience of discrimination was being countered by public campaigns such as "Racism. It stops with me".
The report's lead author, -Monash University professor -Andrew Markus, said the link -between citizenship and social -cohesion, and support for stronger citizenship obligations, was borne out in the surveys."A high take-up of citizenship is very much in Australia's national interest," he said. "There is strong evidence that Australians accept that responsibilities are assumed by those who take up Australian citizenship."