Tuesday, 8 September 2026

Bills

Multicultural Victoria Amendment Bill 2026

Paul EDBROOKE, Matthew GUY
Download page

Bills

Multicultural Victoria Amendment Bill 2026

Council’s amendments

Message from Council relating to following amendments considered:

1.   Clause 1, line 5, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

2.   Clause 1, line 8, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

3.   Division heading preceding clause 4, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

4.   Clause 4, line 8, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

5.   Clause 4, line 17, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

6.   Clause 5, page 4, line 22, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

7.   Clause 5, page 4, lines 25 and 26, omit all words and expressions on these lines and insert –

“Multicultural and Multifaith Victoria means Multicultural and Multifaith Victoria established by section 6;”.

8.   Clause 7, line 14, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

9.   Clause 8, line 17, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

10.   Clause 8, line 18, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

11.   Clause 8, line 19, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

12.   Clause 9, line 26, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

13.   Clause 9, line 27, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

14.   Clause 10, line 9, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

15.   Clause 10, line 10, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

16.   Clause 10, line 12, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

17.   Clause 10, line 28, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

18.   Clause 10, page 10, line 8, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

19.   Clause 10, page 10, line 20, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

20.   Clause 10, page 10, line 23, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

21.   Clause 11, line 9, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

22.   Clause 11, line 12, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

23.   Clause 11, line 15, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

24.   Clause 11, line 21, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

25.   Clause 12, line 22, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

26.   Clause 12, line 25, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

27.   Clause 12, line 28, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

28.   Clause 13, line 29, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

29.   Clause 13, line 33, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

30.   Clause 13, page 12, line 3, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

31.   Clause 13, page 12, line 7, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

32.   Clause 14, line 11, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

33.   Clause 14, line 20, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

34.   Clause 14, page 13, line 9, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

35.   Clause 14, page 14, before line 1 insert –

“(2A) The Minister must not recommend a person for appointment as the Multicultural Coordinator General if that person held a position or office referred to in subsection (2)(a) to (e) in the previous 12 months.”.

36.   Clause 14, page 15, after line 21 insert –

“(3A) The Minister must not recommend a person for appointment as a Deputy Multicultural Coordinator General if that person held a position or office referred to in subsection (3)(a) to (e) in the previous 12 months.”.

37.   Clause 14, page 16, line 24, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

38.   Clause 14, page 16, line 29, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

39.   Clause 14, page 17, line 15, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

40.   Clause 14, page 17, line 23, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

41.   Clause 17, page 18, line 13, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

42.   Clause 17, page 19, line 15, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

43.   Clause 17, page 19, line 17, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

44.   Clause 17, page 19, line 21, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

45.   Clause 18, line, 7, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

46.   Clause 18, line 9, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

47.   Clause 18, line 11, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

48.   Clause 18, page 22, line 12, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

49.   Clause 19, line 22, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

50.   Clause 20, line 25, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

51.   Clause 20, line 27, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

52.   Clause 20, line 29, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

53.   Clause 20, page 23, line 1, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

54.   Clause 20, page 23, line 9, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

55.   Clause 20, page 23, line 13, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

56.   Clause 20, page 23, line 14, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

57.   Clause 21, line 18, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

58.   Clause 21, line 21, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

59.   Clause 21, line 27, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

60.   Clause 21, line 29, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

61.   Clause 21, line 32, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

62.   Clause 21, page 24, line 5, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

63.   Clause 21, page 24, line 9, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

64.   Clause 21, page 24, line 13, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

65.   Clause 21, page 24, line 17, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

66.   Clause 21, page 24, line 26, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

67.   Clause 21, page 24, line 29, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

68.   Clause 21, page 25, line 1, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

69.   Clause 21, page 25, line 3, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

70.   Clause 23, line 23, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

71.   Clause 23, line 24, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

72.   Clause 23, line 26, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

73.   Clause 23, line 30, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

74.   Clause 23, page 26, line 23, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

75.   Clause 23, page 26, line 26, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

76.   Clause 23, page 26, line 29, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

77.   Clause 23, page 26, line 31, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

78.   Clause 23, page 28, line 5, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

79.   Clause 23, page 29, line 6, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

80.   Clause 23, page 30, line 27, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

81.   Clause 23, page 31, line 7, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

82.   Clause 23, page 32, line 5, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

83.   Clause 27, line 23, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

84.   Clause 28, line 7, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

85.   Clause 31, line 14, after “Amendment” insert “(Multicultural and Multifaith Victoria)”.

86.   Clause 31, line 18, after “Amendment” insert “(Multicultural and Multifaith Victoria)”.

87.   Clause 31, page 39, line 5, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

88.   Clause 31, page 39, line 11, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

89.   Clause 31, page 39, line 26, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

90.   Clause 32, line 7, after “Multicultural” insert “and Multifaith”.

91.   Long title, omit “Victoria,” and insert “and Multifaith Victoria,”.

92.   Short title, after “Amendment” insert “(Multicultural and Multifaith Victoria)”.

 Paul EDBROOKE (Frankston – Minister for Police, Minister for Crime Prevention, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (13:30): I move:

That the amendments be agreed to.

I rise to speak briefly to the amendments on the Multicultural Victoria Amendment Bill 2026. Can I start by thanking the opposition, the Greens and the crossbench for working constructively with the government to pass this important bill. This bill will lay the foundation for a renewed approach to working with Victoria’s multicultural and multifaith communities. It will improve the way we listen to and engage with multicultural and multifaith communities, and it will strengthen Victoria’s multicultural settings, institutions and frameworks.

Victorians come from over 300 different ancestries, speak more than 290 languages and practise almost 200 faiths. Victoria is a proudly multicultural state. Almost half of us were born overseas or have a parent born overseas. All of us who are not First Peoples come from a lineage of migration, and that migration continues to shape Victoria today. Many of the members in this very chamber, regardless of which side they stand on, can trace their own family history back to a migration story, and I am one of them. When Victorians work together, we are better able to stand up for respect, unity and belonging. This government is very proud to uphold Victoria’s reputation as a safe, diverse and inclusive state where all people feel safe to be and express who they are.

In 2024 the government commissioned Victoria’s multicultural review, which recommended ways for the government to strengthen its support for multicultural and multifaith communities. I want to put on record my thanks to George Lekakis AO, who led the review, as well as the expert advisory group who supported it: Hass Dellal AO, Carmel Guerra OAM, Miriam Suss OAM and Mark Duckworth PSM. This bill is about implementing the changes that communities told us that they need to feel heard and supported. Every Victorian, regardless of the language they speak, has the right to be treated fairly, and they have the right to make informed decisions based on meaningful engagement with government services. This bill delivers on that commitment by embedding translation and interpreting services as an essential service for government.

During consultation on the bill we heard from the community that they were concerned about multifaith representation in the new organisation. The government has listened, which is why we moved an amendment to include ‘multifaith’ in the name of the organisation and in the name of this bill. This is a small change in wording, but it reflects who this organisation is actually there to serve, and that is multicultural and multifaith Victorians right across our great state.

With the house’s indulgence, I would like to take a moment to express my deepest, deepest sympathy to everyone affected by the recent flood disaster in Nepal. I was honoured to stand alongside the Premier in Federation Square just over a week ago to mourn those lost and stand in solidarity with the growing Nepali community here in Victoria. The loss is truly heartbreaking, and our thoughts are with the community as they grieve for their lost loved ones and as the search continues for those not yet found.

Before I finish I would like to acknowledge the former Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ingrid Stitt in the other place for her years of dedication to and support for multicultural communities in Victoria and for working tirelessly to progress important reforms in this space. Finally, I want to thank the Victorian Multicultural Commission and everyone who has served on it. In particular, I want to acknowledge Louise Perry, the interim chairperson, and Vivienne Nguyen AM, who is the former chairperson. Both have made such an enormous contribution to multicultural communities across Victoria, and their leadership has helped build the foundation that Multicultural and Multifaith Victoria now rests on.

 Matthew GUY (Bulleen) (13:34): The coalition parties do not oppose the amendments or the bill. We have made a number of contributions on this bill, both in this chamber and in the other place through our shadow minister Evan Mulholland, noting a number of amendments which were passed through the Legislative Council, particularly in relation to the name of the bill, adding the words ‘and Multifaith’, which have been removed, and other issues, particularly in relation to operations such as staff appointments and the like.

As I said when this bill was in the chamber some weeks ago, the mere fact that what we are now seeing is a complete review or changing of the multicultural commission does leave me with some sadness, in a way, because what had been established since the early 1980s was I think Australia’s best multicultural commission, the Victorian Multicultural Commission. It was the best example and the best model that served many governments and served us all very well in a non-political and nonpartisan way and had managed what is a very important fabric of our society – that is, multicultural affairs – in a very successful way. The politicisation of that organisation over a number of years has seen it effectively restarted, which is now what this bill does, even enshrining independence into its operation, which has never had to be the case before. It was always considered that it would be that as a matter of course. That we have to tell people not to be politically partisan in such an important area of community participation and social cohesion is, to me, somewhat surprising, but we do not oppose the bill, as we have said.

With multicultural affairs, as a former minister I know it is so important that as governments we get policy in this area right and it is not used for political ends. I made a number of references, which I will not refer to again, in relation to previous events that had occurred. It is something that unites us as Victorians. We do not have Brisbane’s weather, we do not have Sydney’s harbour, but what we have is an appreciation for multicultural affairs and multiculturalism, which is something that binds us together as a strong international city and state – very far geographically from most parts of the world, but one where we know we are better together than apart. That is why I think it is so important that we focus on this area of government. I do not think many people realise how important good policy in this space is. I will not go further. I will just say that we do not oppose the amendments, obviously, and we do not oppose the bill.

Motion agreed to.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: A message will now be sent to the Legislative Council informing them of the house’s decision.

Back to the top