Thursday, 20 March 2025

 Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (12:38): I rise to update the house that work is officially underway on the Vietnamese Museum Australia project in the heart of Sunshine. On Sunday I had the pleasure of attending the turning of the first sod at the site, together with a number of colleagues from both this place and the other place. I was also thrilled to announce additional funding of $2 million to support the construction and fit-out of the project. This brings the total investment by the Allan Labor government to $8.7 million, and we are really proud to invest together with the federal government in such a meaningful project to build Australia’s first Vietnamese cultural centre and museum. This museum will not only hold historical artefacts but will stand as a space where the whole community can learn about the history and struggle of Vietnamese refugees who made Australia their home. The Vietnamese Museum Australia will provide Vietnamese Victorians with a place to celebrate their heritage and preserve their stories of migration and refugee settlement, honouring the journey of freedom and the contributions of the Vietnamese community to the fabric of our country. This milestone is very timely as we come to the 50th anniversary of Vietnamese settlement in Australia. Each Vietnamese refugee has a unique and poignant story to tell, and it is important to preserve the stories of the first generations of Vietnamese Australians. Their stories remind us of their courage, strength and the sacrifice made by the Vietnamese community in leaving their homes and in many cases their families to build a new life in a new country. I extend my thanks and congratulations to Tammy Nguyen, the CEO, and Bruce Mildenhall, the chair of the VMA, the volunteers and the many community members who have worked so hard to get to this stage of the project.