Ministers statements: multicultural communities
Colin BROOKS (Bundoora – Minister for Housing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (14:18): Victoria is a proudly diverse multicultural state, I am sure all people would agree. People have come from across every corner of the globe, bringing a richness of culture, faith and traditions to Victoria and we celebrate and embrace that diversity. We know that there are elements, unfortunately, of extremism and racism around the world and indeed elements of it here in Victoria. It requires government, in fact all of us, to meet it with grit and determination. Racism and discrimination or any other act with the intention of spreading fear or hate is utterly unacceptable and has no place in Victoria. That is why it is great to see so many multicultural groups reaching out to work with each other and other cultures and faiths to break down the barriers and strengthen the bonds between all of us. As a government, we are also up for the challenge. That is why we are delivering $6 million to fight antisemitism and Islamophobia. We are working closely with the Jewish and Islamic communities in particular to develop those initiatives. We know our anti-vilification laws need to be strengthened and broadened and work has begun to do just that, firstly, by listening to and consulting with our diverse communities so that we get those reforms right.
The Andrews Labor government has established an Anti-Racism Taskforce with a diverse membership, including many with lived experience of racism. They are currently developing the nation’s first whole-of-government anti-racism strategy. While we tackle these issues head on, we will continue to support our multicultural communities not just with words but with tangible support. Our recent state budget included $40 million for infrastructure for multicultural communities, $12 million for the celebration of multicultural festivals and events and, again, significant funding towards our multicultural museums and the Victorian African Communities Action Plan as examples. In all, our recent budget invests over $77 million for multicultural Victoria because we will never take our diversity for granted.