Thursday, 19 June 2025

 Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (12:22): (961) My question is to the Minister for Multicultural Affairs. Minister, the Victorian report on multicultural affairs 2023–24, freshly printed and tabled today, boasts that the multicultural seniors support program is supporting more than 990 seniors organisations to run social and cultural activities, improve digital accessibility and literacy, and purchase essential equipment and resources, and contributes to running and insurance costs. If the government is so proud of this support, why are you planning on cutting this funding from next year?

 Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (12:23): Thank you for the question, Mr Mulholland. You have not read the budget papers, clearly. We are funding our seniors program. It is an incredibly popular program. It supports just under a thousand senior citizen multicultural organisations to remain connected to their communities and also to reduce social isolation, which we know is a particular issue for many in our multicultural communities. We are proud that the 2025–26 budget includes funding for this important program, and we will be providing those organisations with funding for their activities, including public liability insurance.

 Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (12:24): I would gladly refer both the Treasurer and Minister for Multicultural Affairs to ‘Output initiatives’, table 1.20, where the funding for this support drops off when it has always appeared across the forward estimates – so the government is clearly planning on a cut. The reason I say that is that many seniors groups have to plan ahead and use these funds to pay for items like public liability insurance. I ask the minister: given this change, where it no longer appears across the forward estimates, how can these groups plan for the year ahead with a huge cliff in funding from next year – it is not guaranteed – unless the minister is willing to guarantee that funding now?

 Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (12:25): I do not know what you are reading, but what you have just presented to the chamber is completely misleading and irresponsible. How about you have a look at my PAEC presentation slides, which include and confirm that there will be $2.1 million worth of support for the multicultural seniors support program. This is an incredibly important program. I am very supportive of it as minister. What you are doing is bordering on irresponsible, because these seniors organisations do not need your fearmongering. What they need is accurate information, and I invite you to actually share that information with the community in a way that does not frighten these people or mislead them.