Multicultural Communities Missing Out Under Andrews

Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Inga Peulich

The State Budget promised big things for Victoria’s multicultural communities, but delivered very little.
It will make almost no positive difference to the lives of culturally and linguistically diverse communities and has completely failed multicultural Victoria.
There will be:
• No increase in consultations with our culturally and linguistically communities at a time where consultation is so important in framing social cohesion and diversity policies that will better enhance and integrate our multicultural and emerging communities;
• No emphasis on boosting Cultural Diversity Week attendance or  flagship event events like Viva Victoria; or
• No specialised employment services for disadvantaged job seekers from migrant and refugee backgrounds;
• No funding for capacity building for ethno-specific community services for culturally diverse aged care;
• No addition to the proportion of grants to organisations supporting our multicultural communities in regional Victoria;
• No funding to sustain and develop services in local councils experiencing higher than average demand on services due to increase in residents from new and emerging communities.
Daniel Andrews claims to have embraced Multicultural Victoria and addressed our booming population, but without funding it is just wishful thinking.
This budget marks 18 months of the Andrews Government but we continue to see our multicultural communities’ struggling to find jobs, being hurt with ever increasing cost of living pressures, and soaring crime rates while police stations are closing.
MEDIA CONTACT: INGA PEULICH (03) 9772 1366