Victorian multicultural review

The Victorian Government has announced its response to the Victorian Multicultural Review.

The review was announced by the Premier in December 2024 and included extensive community consultations. The purpose was to recommend ways the government could strengthen its support for multicultural and multifaith communities. It was part of a suite of actions to address the state’s growing social cohesion challenges and to strengthen community harmony.

The Review found that Victoria’s multiculturalism is one of the state’s greatest strengths, with Victorians all benefiting from the cultural, social and economic contributions of multicultural communities. It also called on the government to lead reforms to strengthen trust, tackle systemic issues, build the capacity of multicultural groups, and foster a whole-of-society approach to social cohesion.

Victoria remains one of the most diverse states in Australia, with almost one-third of the population born overseas. Victoria comprises over 300 ancestries, 290 languages and 200 faiths.

As a first response, the State Government has announced the initial set of actions arising from the Review:

• A new statutory body, Multicultural Victoria, will be established, effectively replacing the Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC), with a new Multicultural Coordinator General to be appointed to lead it. They will be supported by two Deputies, with one from regional Victoria and a five-member advisory council of commissioners,
• This new organisation will combine the engagement role of the VMC with the policy role of the Department. It will have new responsibilities, including “developing safety plans for communities affected by serious and distressing events”,
• The Premier will lead a new whole-of-government multicultural strategy to elevate community needs across all portfolios and will require multicultural needs to be considered in all Cabinet decision-making.
• Organisations applying for multicultural grants will be empowered to pilot a Social Cohesion Commitment, before it is rolled out in standard funding agreements across all Government portfolios, and
• A new $5 million fund will be used to strengthen the capacity and sustainability of multicultural organisations “to deliver for their communities and equip them to be leaders in resolving conflict and division”.

VMC Chairperson Vivienne Nguyen said, “I welcome the Multicultural Review report and its proposed structural changes to ensure government policies are fit-for-purpose.”

Nguyen also welcomed “the decision to review the Multicultural Act Victoria 2011, which must focus on strengthening cohesion and creating a richer, more inclusive, fairer and better Victoria.”

“I thank former VMC Chairperson George Lekakis and the advisory committee for their work on the Multicultural Review, these past few months.”

The Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) released a statement saying that, “The findings of the Victorian Multicultural Review strongly echo the Victorian Jewish community’s experience that local multiculturalism is under ‘sustained attack’ and ‘despite multiple attempts by government and community leaders, community harmony, safety and social cohesion have continued to deteriorate’.”

JCCV thanked the Review Chair, George Lekakis, and the advisory group for the Review for their “thorough and courageous work”. The advisory group includes Jewish community stalwart and former Executive Director of JCCV Miriam Suss.

The JCCV welcomed the recommendations, particularly the recommendations concerning anti-racism and social cohesion, and in the areas of community capacity building.

JCCV said, “This is a moment for real change. There is no time to lose. We urge the Victorian Government to speedily implement all the recommendations, including, as a matter of urgency, the social cohesion values commitment for all government funding recipients.”

“The JCCV stands ready to work with Government, the proposed Multicultural Victoria agency, and our fellow culturally diverse communities to ensure that Victoria lives up to its promise of inclusion, unity and respect for all faiths and cultural backgrounds.”