Thursday, 5 March 2026

 Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (12:18): My question is to the Minister for Multicultural Affairs. Minister, we have all been shocked by reports that an Islamic community association in Dandenong, the Taha Association, held a mourning service for the Iranian tyrant Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The IRGC is responsible for carrying out the firebombing of the Adass Israel Synagogue, denying education rights for women and killing protesters, and the federal Labor government has rightly cancelled its election funding to this association. The Department of Premier and Cabinet 2024–25 annual report shows that your government gave $149,380 in funding as a 2022 election commitment. Media reports suggest that the government is investigating this funding. What has the investigation found so far, and will it be made public?

 Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Prevention of Family Violence) (12:19): Thank you for your question, Mr Mulholland. I do want to acknowledge that this is a really difficult time for many people in our community who are feeling the impacts of the conflict in Iran and beyond unfold. It is a difficult time. Many of our multicultural communities have family and friends caught up in this war. But I do not think that these events are appropriate, and our government has been very clear about that since these reports first emerged. As the federal Minister for Home Affairs has said this week, the appropriate federal agencies will monitor this situation closely. Obviously the multicultural affairs division of the Department of Premier and Cabinet funds many, many, many community organisations in line with our grant management framework. I can confirm that funding was provided to Taha Association in 2022 to renovate their facilities, and there was also an additional small grant of $7500 provided through our multicultural festival and events program to support an Eid event, as I am advised. I have asked my department to investigate these matters further. It is certainly my strong expectation that taxpayer funds are all used appropriately. I want to also remind the house that we have recently implemented the social cohesion commitment. That is a commitment that recognises our proudly diverse communities and that social cohesion really is at the heart of who we are as a state and makes our state a great place to live. It will be an important mechanism for the management of our grants going forward, and it is acting on a key recommendation of the Lekakis review.

 Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (12:21): Thank you, Minister, for that extensive answer. My supplementary is about the social cohesion pledge and whether it will be legislated or has already been implemented, to ensure that not a single cent of public money goes towards those who sympathise with regimes who murder protesters, deny women education rights and firebomb synagogues in Victoria.

 Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Prevention of Family Violence) (12:22): Thank you for your supplementary question, Mr Mulholland. The social cohesion commitment will form part of every funding contract entered into between the Department of Premier and Cabinet and those organisations that have successfully applied for grants under the relevant guidelines.