Terminology, abbreviations and frequently used terms

Language statement

Language is important and can change over time. Words can have different meanings for different people.

We recognise the diversity of First Peoples communities and culture throughout Victoria. While the terms ‘Koorie’ or ‘Koori’ are commonly used to describe First Peoples of southeast Australia, we use the terms ‘First Peoples’ and ‘Aboriginal’ to include all people of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent who live in Victoria.

The term ‘multicultural community’ refers to the vast number of diverse cultural and ethnic groups in Victoria.

The term ‘multifaith community’ refers to the diverse faith groups in Victoria.

The words ‘our’ and ‘we’ in this document refer to the Victorian Government.

The phrase ‘racism and discrimination’ in this document includes all forms of discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, cultural background, country of origin and faith.