A packed room, lively political debate and plenty of questions about the multicultural future of our state.
ECCV Chairperson Silvia Renda OAM, Iwan Walters MP, Anasina Gray-Barberio MP, Evan Mulholland MP, ECCV CEO Farah Farouque and moderator Benita Kolovos.
More than 140 people gathered at Millennium House in Seddon last night for ECCV’s State Election Forum. With November’s Victorian election fast approaching, community leaders and representatives from across Victoria heard directly from MPs about their vision for the multicultural future of Victoria.
The panel included Iwan Walters MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs, Evan Mulholland MP, Shadow Minister for Multicultural and Multifaith Affairs, and Anasina Gray-Barberio MP, Victorian Greens spokesperson for Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism.
Moderated by Guardian Australia‘s Victorian state correspondent Benita Kolovos, the forum featured a thoughtful and robust exchange, with questions from the audience covering a wide range of issues.
These included support for multicultural organisations and regional communities, tackling rising racism and hostility, political responses to anti-migrant sentiment, and the challenges and opportunities facing different communities. Panellists also explored the need for structural and institutional reform, including greater cultural diversity in Parliament and public institutions to better reflect the communities they serve.
ECCV CEO Farah Farouque said the forum came at an important moment for multicultural Victoria.
“Victoria’s multicultural communities contribute enormously to our economy, society and culture. Our voices – and votes – matter.
“This forum was an opportunity to hear directly from political parties and have an honest conversation about the challenges facing our communities, including anti-migrant sentiment and rising hate. Our multicultural community organisations do incredible work in building belonging and must be backed by the next government.”
The full house reflected the breadth of Victoria’s multicultural communities and the importance of this election for multicultural voices and votes.
A big thank you to our panellists, moderator and everyone who attended.
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