Tuesday, 12 August 2025

North-Eastern Metropolitan Region multicultural communities

Sonja TERPSTRA (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (17:42): (1804) My adjournment matter this evening is to the Minister for Multicultural Affairs. Like all of Victoria, the North-Eastern Metropolitan Region is home to many different cultural communities. Many of our multicultural communities are made up of new migrants as well as their second- and third-generation descendants. The mix of different cultures provides for a unique and wholesome community in which members share art, cuisine, language and customs with one another. Such communities, too, can help to consolidate the appreciation of others, uniting them in community and in harmony. It is thanks to the work of numerous cultural organisations that embrace and share other cultures which are facilitated. Many of these organisations, however, are not for profit and volunteer run; hence, for their work to continue, consistent funding is needed.

The new expression-of-interest program announced recently by the Allan Labor government will give different Chinese community organisations the necessary opportunity to obtain much-needed government funding and therefore expand and have their work supported. The North-Eastern Metropolitan Region is home to thousands of Chinese migrants and their descendants and will be sure to benefit from this latest incentive by the Allan Labor government. That being said, there are numerous other cultural communities in my electorate, including Greek, Italian, Persian and Chin communities, which could also benefit, and it is important that these communities do not also go without the necessary funding that they need. The action I seek is for the minister to provide insight and update me on how other cultural organisations in my electorate may obtain government funding in the future to help them strengthen and continue their work that they do in their communities.