Ministers statements: multicultural communities
Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:40): I am pleased to rise to update the house on how here in Victoria we will always welcome migrants to this great state, as we have done for decade upon decade, when you look back to the discovery of gold in the state in 1851 and how people started coming here from England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Germany and China. Then we of course know that by the 1970s Victoria became the home of migrants from all over the world. Our Vietnamese, Italian, Greek, Turkish, Lebanese, Indian, South American, South-East Asian and African communities, just to name a few, are a fundamental part of our social fabric. We know too that some have escaped conflict and some of them have sought a better life, and we are so proud that they have chosen that better life here in Victoria. Then of course along the way we have also encouraged and supported skilled migrants to choose Melbourne and Victoria, and that comes with a range of skilled professions: doctors, nurses, engineers, teachers, scientists, pilots and early childhood educators. We have done this through our skilled and business migration program. Then you add to this the way we welcome more and more international students, and that brings together a fast-growing economy and a vibrant community here in Victoria.
Here in Victoria we want a vibrant, skilled and successful community. Also we want them to continue to support the work we are doing in building up transport, building up homes and building up big renewable energy projects – things that our families and our economy need to continue to grow strongly – not turning back the clock and making ourselves smaller and weaker. I will say this to Victoria’s proud multicultural communities: we will never be architects of fear towards Victoria’s multicultural communities. We will stand with them against those who would rather demonise migration and cower behind the federal Leader of the Opposition in the Liberal Party than deliver a plan to build homes and better transport links.