Tuesday, 31 March 2026

 Sarah CONNOLLY (Laverton) (13:30): It was great to be down in Sunshine last week to see the almost finished works on Australia’s first ever Vietnamese museum. This has been a project long in the making, and construction is almost complete. As many in this place would know, Melbourne’s inner west, from Footscray to Sunshine to St Albans, has a proud, proud history of Vietnamese migration. More than 120,000 Victorians have Vietnamese heritage, including many in my electorate of Laverton, and this includes so many who came here as refugees more than 50 years ago and have chosen to call our community in Melbourne’s west home. Now, for the first time anywhere in Australia, their stories will be told and celebrated at this museum right in the heart of Sunshine. Of course I am so thrilled that our Labor government has played an incredible role in helping get this set up, investing more than $10 million towards the construction of this facility.

I want to acknowledge Tammy Nguyen and her incredible team at the VMA, who have worked tirelessly to make this museum a reality – we are almost there. It has not been without its challenges, its hurdles and its speed bumps, but now construction is almost complete. Situated very close to Sunshine station, this museum is within easy walking distance of our future superhub, and I have no doubt it will bring in major tourism to the Sunshine area. It is an incredible achievement. I just feel so proud as a local member, and I cannot wait to see this museum fully open to the public later this year.