Victorian Government report on multicultural affairs 2024-25

In 2024–25, the Victorian Government committed $60.5 million for programs, initiatives and communications activities that support our multicultural and faith communities. This included $6.3 million for culturally significant infrastructure upgrades and new projects, supporting community spaces across Victoria.

The Victorian Government took important steps to address racism and discrimination in 2024–25 with the launch of Victoria’s Anti‑Racism Strategy 2024–2029. The strategy sets out a five‑year plan to prevent race and faith‑based discrimination, and strengthen outcomes for First Peoples, multicultural and multifaith Victorians.

This commitment was reinforced through targeted investment in community‑led responses to antisemitism and Islamophobia. In the 2023–24 State Budget, $6.0 million was allocated to these initiatives, with $2.0 million invested in 2024–25 to support education, reporting pathways and wellbeing supports.

Victorians were supported to come together and celebrate cultural identity through continued investment in multicultural festivals and events. $3.687 million was allocated to support 393 organisations, along with 85 regional organisations, to deliver festivals and events across the state, strengthening community connection across metropolitan and regional Victoria.

More than $36 million was invested across government in interpreting, translating and language services, helping ensure multicultural Victorians can access information and services in language.

I would like to thank the Victorian Multicultural Commission for their ongoing leadership and advocacy. I also acknowledge the many multicultural and multifaith organisations, community leaders and volunteers whose work strengthens community connection and supports participation across Victoria. Finally, I thank all government departments and staff who have contributed to this report.

Looking ahead, the Victorian Government remains committed to strengthening social cohesion, addressing inequality and working in genuine partnership with multicultural and multifaith communities. Together, we will continue to build a stronger, fairer and more inclusive Victoria where everyone belongs.

Ingrid Stitt MP
Minister for Multicultural and Multifaith Victoria

This report fulfils the Victorian Government’s requirement in the Multicultural Victoria Act 2011 to report annually to the Minister for Multicultural Affairs and to the Victorian Parliament on programs and initiatives that support Victoria’s multicultural communities.

Table 1 lists legislative and policy documents that guide the government’s mission to build an inclusive, engaged and cohesive Victoria.

Footnotes

¹The policy statement can be found on the Victorian Government website’s Multicultural policy statement page.

The Multicultural Affairs Outcomes Framework² sets out the Victorian Government’s approach to multiculturalism.

The framework groups programs and initiatives according to 5 goals (Table 2).

Footnotes

²Victorian Multicultural Policy Statement, p. 25. Available from the Victorian Government website’s Multicultural policy statement page.

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.

The Victorian Government helps multicultural communities access safe, reliable housing by investing in programs that strengthen long‑term housing security.

The Department of Government Services (DGS) helps fund the My Tenancy Rights and Responsibilities: Empowering Victorian Renters Project, delivered by Tenants Victoria. This project uses targeted education to help multicultural renters better understand their rental rights and responsibilities. Under the project, a bicultural community engagement team works with renters in urgent need to link them into existing support programs, including the Tenancy Assistance and Advocacy Program managed by Consumer Affairs Victoria. The program developed communication materials and delivered information sessions with tenants from multicultural backgrounds (DGS: $260,000 in 2024–25).

The Rental Stress Support Package, an initiative under the Housing Statement, began delivering services to Victorians from 1 July 2024. The package has increased access to rental support services, including information and advice, advocacy and legal assistance. It also prioritises support for multicultural communities. In 2024–25 it supported 4,094 clients including 20% of clients from multicultural communities (DGS: $4.1 million in 2024–25).

The Victorian Government acknowledges that multicultural communities experience health and mental‑health issues differently and offers tailored services to enhance wellbeing.

The government plays a significant role in supporting humanitarian entrants and people seeking asylum. In 2024–25 we funded a range of settlement programs providing tailored support to humanitarian entrants and people seeking asylum, including the Support for Asylum Seekers initiative. This initiative funded the Australian Red Cross and the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre to deliver critical services to people seeking asylum who do not qualify for national support programs (DPC: $2.65 million for 2024–25).

In 2024–25 the Department of Health (DH), under the Patient Support Units program, funded 23 health services to ensure all patients are ready for surgery or directed to alternative care pathways. The units also support improvements to enable timely access to planned surgery.

To improve access to timely planned care for patients from multicultural backgrounds, DH developed a range of communication materials in different languages, targeting the specific needs of diverse communities (DH).

The Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Scholarship and Bursary Program supports registered nurses with midwifery qualifications to complete a postgraduate MCH nursing course. Scholarships are offered annually at La Trobe University and Federation University. This program ensures universities target students in priority groups, including applicants who identify as multicultural.

At the start of 2025, 71 priority scholarships were awarded. By prioritising applicants from underrepresented groups, these scholarships are strengthening workforce diversity and contributing to an MCH workforce that better reflects Victoria’s diversity (DH: $500,000 in 2024–25).

DH also funded Multicultural Storytime, an initiative that strengthens connections for children from multicultural and First Peoples communities by fostering language, identity and cultural pride. Sessions give communities culturally appropriate, evidence-based health information, including details about local health services.

By funding 25 organisations, the initiative expanded access to include early learning opportunities and promoted health literacy. This investment reached thousands of families in 2024–25, helping build strong cultural ties while supporting children’s development and wellbeing. Multicultural Storytimes were offered in 37 languages (DH: $1.5 million for 2024–25).

The government is committed to supporting African Victorian communities to have a sense of belonging and to thrive.³ For example, the Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC) is implementing the Victorian African Communities Action Plan (VACAP), a 10-year plan initiated in 2018. The plan was developed by and for Victoria’s African communities to provide culturally tailored programs and services that support social and economic outcomes.

VACAP’s Project Sunrise is an alcohol and other drugs initiative that provides targeted education programs and outreach services across 8 priority local government areas. In 2024–25 Project Sunrise delivered more than 100 episodes of care and treatment to young people and their families; delivered more than 70 alcohol and other drugs counselling sessions, case management and family support; and engaged more than 4,000 community members through community events (DPC: $510,000 in 2024–25).

Under VACAP, DPC also supports a mental health initiative that funds 3 community organisations to deliver supports, including services for young people and people experiencing homelessness (DPC: $200,000 in 2024–25).

Footnotes

³ The 2024–25 State Budget provided $17 million over 4 years for VACAP.

The government works to ensure all Victorians can take part fully and have their voices heard.

As part of measures announced by the Premier in December 2024 to strengthen social cohesion across the state, the Victorian Multicultural Review examined how government support for multicultural and multifaith communities could be better delivered to ensure Victoria’s multicultural policies, institutions and personnel are equipped to resolve conflicts and find connection.

The review heard from 640 Victorians through 57 targeted and open consultation sessions and 159 written submissions. The review provided 41 recommendations for how the government could better address social cohesion challenges, strengthen community harmony and support multicultural and multifaith communities to thrive. These include forming a new statutory body — Multicultural Victoria — to bring together the engagement role of the Victorian Multicultural Commission with the department’s policy and grants functions and a new funding stream to strengthen the capacity and sustainability of multicultural organisations to deliver for their communities (DPC).

The Victorian Government helps multicultural communities build confidence, explore new pathways and reach their potential.

In 2024–25 DE continued to fund 26 local councils to take part in the kindergarten Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Outreach Initiative.

Outreach workers addressed barriers to kindergarten access and participation and supported engagement with other early childhood services and transition to school.

Almost 4,000 children were supported to register and enrol in kindergarten in 2024–25 (DE: $2.2 million in 2024–25).

DE’s $20.1 million, 4-year Refugee Education Support Initiative was delivered in partnership with the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture (Foundation House) and the Centre for Multicultural Youth. It continues to support positive learning and wellbeing outcomes for children, students and families from refugee backgrounds. In 2023–24 the initiative expanded its reach and innovation across 4 program streams:

• The Refugee Education Support Program engaged 38 schools across 7 geographical clusters to build the capacity of school staff in culturally responsive and trauma-informed practice.
• The School Support Program delivered professional development sessions to more than 3,000 school staff. The program also created 12 resources for the flagship School’s in for Refugees website.
• Learning Beyond the Bell delivered more than 140 tailored consultations with learning support programs across the state.
• Learning Beyond the Bell provided professional learning, advice and resources to more than 360 learning support programs across the state.
• The Early Years Program builds the capacity of early childhood education and care services to work effectively with children and families of refugee backgrounds and promote their full inclusion.

In 2024–25 the initiative’s Early Years Program established Communities of Practice in 7 local government areas. These Communities of Practice implemented strategies to improve the inclusion and participation of children and families from refugee backgrounds (DE: $5.4 million in 2024–25).

DE’s Place-based Partnerships to Support School Engagement and Completion Initiative 2024–2026 offers targeted support for at-risk African and Pasifika young people, with the goal of supporting school engagement and completion, helping to prevent youth offending and reducing antisocial behaviour. The initiative funds grants to schools in the south-west, north-west and south-east of Melbourne to deliver targeted supports and free school holiday programs.

26 schools use grant funding to employ community liaison officers who support young people to engage with their education, deliver targeted intervention programs and help strengthen family–school connections. Free school holiday programs are delivered in partnerships with Victory Football Club, North Melbourne Football Club (The Huddle) and Melbourne Storm Rugby League Club (Storm Waka).

In 2025, 3,750 daily participants attended school holiday programs.

The initiative also funds the Pasifika Schools Network and Vaka Pasifika Student Leadership Program. The Vaka program is delivered in partnership with the Pasifika Schools Network, the Oceania Institute, the Pacific Islands Student Association and the University of Melbourne’s Engagement and Partnerships Office. It provides an opportunity for Victorian Pasifika Year 10 students to become familiar with university learning. The program aims to empower students to view higher education as their ‘vaka’ or vessel in navigating career and educational aspirations (DE: $3.5 million in 2024–25).

DJISR’s TAFE Student Support Services includes a component for services aimed at supporting access, participation and completion into vocational education for priority cohorts, including multicultural communities. Through this fund, Victoria’s TAFEs support access, participation, education pathways and qualification completion with direct, tailored and culturally appropriate support including:

• English language support
• one-on-one tutoring and learning support
• counselling, welfare and wellbeing support including referrals to internal and community-based services
• advice on recognition of qualifications and training gained overseas
• career and job support.

TAFEs also use part of this funding to build and embed systems to improve outcomes for priority cohorts, including multicultural communities, through policy development, student-led consultation, student inclusion groups, resource development, improvements to enrolment and learning processes, and partnerships with local community groups (DJSIR: $57 million in 2025⁹).

DJSIR’s Asylum Seeker VET (ASVET) Program 2024–25 supports refugees and asylum seekers to access free or subsidised training, helping them to gain meaningful employment and build new lives in Victoria.

The 2024–25 ASVET program provided access to skills and training for people forced to flee their home countries, helping them succeed in Victoria. By supporting refugees and asylum seekers to enrol, the program gave them access to vocational training like Free TAFE and Skills First courses.

Since December 2024 the Victorian Government has supported more than 950 asylum seekers to study at TAFE, supporting their job search and financial independence.

The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre has supported more than 250 people in the past year to study at a TAFE, university or training provider (DJSIR: $80,000 in 2024–25).

Delivered through TAFEs, Learn Locals and community service organisations across Victoria, DJSIR’s ReconnectProgram helps Victorians overcome barriers to education, training and employment. It also provides support into further study or employment pathways.

Tailored, one-on-one support services include counselling, mentoring, housing support, education opportunities, health and wellbeing services, and foundation and employability skills.

Since the program began in 2016, Reconnect has supported thousands of people to transition into further study, complete pre-accredited and accredited training, and achieve sustainable employment.

Across 2024–25 the program supported 1,444 participants. Of these:

• 42% were from a multicultural background
• 50% engaged in education and training
• 4% engaged in employment.

(DJSIR: $12 million in 2025⁹)

The Victorian Government offers programs that connect communities with meaningful work and pathways for advancement.

DGS’s Women Leading Locally supported the government’s goal of achieving 50% women councillors and mayors in local government by 2025. Delivered by the Institute of Community Directors Australia in partnership with Women for Election and Politics in Colour, the program engaged 125 people, 53% of whom were women identified as having at least one diversity characteristic, including 37 women from multicultural backgrounds and 5 First Peoples women. Overall, 39 graduates contested the 2024 elections, with 18 successfully elected to council (DGS: $15,000 in 2024–25).

DPC’s VACAP Employment Brokers program funds 8 community-based employment brokers to provide tailored support, education and training to jobseekers. In 2024–25 more than 630 people received one-on-one employment support and more than 170 people secured a job. Over 50% of participants were between 15 and 24 years old
(DPC: $951,000 in 2024–25).

DTP’s Engineering Pathways Industry Cadetship program aims to create a more diverse and inclusive workforce on Big Build major transport infrastructure projects through entry-level employment pathways.

The program employs engineers exclusively from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds. Over 18 months, cadets undertake full-time employment with a participating employer and complete part-time study with Swinburne University, completing a postgraduate Graduate Certificate in Infrastructure Engineering Management.

The most recent program began in October 2024, with cadets representing 15 countries of origin. A 2024 social valuation report outlined a social value of $8 million generated by the program.

Fifteen participants who started in October 2024 are on track to complete the program in April 2026 (DTP: $250,000 in 2024–25).

The government helps communities connect and thrive by supporting culture and community initiatives.

DJSIR’s Multicultural Arts Victoria’s NEWPRINT program empowers black, Aboriginal, people of colour or culturally and racially marginalised–identifying event producers to design, curate and deliver live music events.

Each year, producers work in pairs with full creative freedom to deliver dynamic events, supported by mentorships and training. In 2024–25 NEWPRINT empowered 16 producers, delivered 30 events and showcased more than 200 artists.

By fostering inclusion and amplifying diverse voices, NEWPRINT is shaping a more representative and vibrant live music culture in Victoria (DJSIR: $200,000 in 2024–25).

DPC’s Multicultural Festivals and Events Program supported 393 organisations to deliver multicultural festivals and events across the state during 2024–25 (DPC: $2.5 million in 2024–25).

The Regional Multicultural Festivals and Events Fund supported 85 regional multicultural organisations to hold events in regional Victoria (DPC: $1.187 million in 2024–25).

In 2024–25 the Multicultural Seniors Support Program supported close to 1,000 multicultural seniors’ organisations, reaching more than 142,000 members across 46 local government areas. The program helped fund social and cultural activities, improved seniors’ digital accessibility and literacy, provided practical support and purchased essential equipment and resources for members (DPC: $2 million in 2024–25).

DJCS funded the Australian Vietnamese Women’s Association to deliver the Indo-Chinese Prisoner Support Program. The program offered culturally responsive individual and family support through information and advocacy to Indo-Chinese prisoners both pre- and post-release. The service aims to assist people in prison to maintain, establish or re-establish links with family, friends and the community through assertive outreach, case management and, based on need, supplying material aid to improve reintegration (DJCS: $195,000 in 2024–25).

The Victorian Government recognises the importance of multicultural communities having safe, accessible and culturally appropriate places in which to gather.

DPC allocated $6.3 million in 2024–25 to 38 multicultural community organisations for infrastructure projects. These included election commitments and projects supported through the 2024–25 Chinese Community Infrastructure Fund and the Jewish Community Security Infrastructure Program (DPC: $6.3 million in 2024–25).

The Victorian Government works to ensure every Victorian is treated with fairness, dignity and respect.

In 2024–25 the government launched Victoria’s Anti-racism Strategy 2024–2029. The strategy provides a 5-year plan for preventing and addressing race- and faith-based discrimination and strengthening outcomes for First Peoples, multicultural and multifaith Victorians.

The Anti-Racism Taskforce, co-chaired by Sheena Watt MP and Iwan Walters MP, played an integral role in developing the strategy and continues to offer expert guidance during implementation.

In 2024–25 the government began implementing several flagship actions:

• allocating $2.4 million through 2024–26 to the Local Anti-Racism Initiatives Grants Program, which is supporting 30 First Peoples, multicultural and multifaith organisations to deliver grassroots responses to racism
• engaging the Centre for Multicultural Youth, in partnership with Koorie Heritage Trust and Victorian Aboriginal Community Services Association Ltd, to co-design a statewide anti-racism campaign in community sport, working with 7 state sporting associations (AFL, basketball, cricket, football, netball, NRL and tennis), Vicsport and VicHealth
• appointing the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) to design training that builds the capacity of frontline police to take human rights–centred approaches when engaging with First Peoples, multicultural and multifaith communities
• appointing the VEOHRC to deliver the anti-racism pilot, Better than That: Building anti-racist workplaces to recognise workplaces that are culturally safe and inclusive (DPC: $2 million in 2024–25).

DJCS led anti-vilification reform, strengthening anti-vilification laws to protect more Victorians from hate speech through the Justice Legislation Amendment (Anti-vilification and Social Cohesion) Act 2025, which was enacted in April 2025. Extensive consultation with the Victorian community (including with multicultural and multifaith communities) on potential reforms to anti-vilification laws took place throughout 2024. A consultation paper outlining an overview of the proposed reforms appeared on the Engage Victoria website in September 2024. The reforms will protect and promote human rights by:

• extending anti-vilification protections to protect more Victorians
• improving how serious vilification offences and civil protections operate
• expanding the powers of the VEOHRC to better respond to vilification (DJCS).

In December 2024 the Victorian Government announced several measures designed to confront antisemitism, protect religious worship and restore social cohesion.

This included setting up the Local Escalation and Help group (LEAH) with the support of DPC. LEAH includes representatives of Jewish community groups, government departments and local councils to provide a direct communication channel on critical issues between government and the community. LEAH was established in April 2025, focusing on community safety, combating antisemitism, improving experiences in key sectors such as creative industries, advancing anti-vilification and protest reforms and strengthening community resilience.

Through LEAH, the government has established a communications protocol that provides timely information flow and can bring LEAH together, if required, after a major incident (DPC).

In 2024–25 DPC supported the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria’s (ECCV) core operations, a peak body representing multicultural communities. ECCV advocates for multicultural communities, including in the areas of human rights, access and equity and by improving services.

Government funding supports ECCV’s management and governance, communications and policy and advocacy activities.

ECCV enhances the government’s engagement with multicultural communities, multicultural sector capacity building and community participation and embeds intersectional approaches to service delivery.

Four longstanding policy advisory committees inform ECCV’s work. In 2024–25 the committees:

• established the new Victorian CALD Community Aged Care Provider Network
• facilitated 116 stakeholder organisations to attend meetings
• convened 15 policy and advisory committee meetings
• facilitated 12 network meetings.

ECCV also published 9 reports and policy submissions in the areas of racism and discrimination, disability, digital access, elder abuse, housing and Victoria’s bicultural workforce. This work is on top of ongoing Victorian parliamentary and statewide multicultural policy engagement (DPC: $875,000 in 2024–25).

The work of the South Sudanese Australian Youth Justice Expert Working Group was delivered by a partnership between DJCS and the Commission for Children and Young People. The working group addresses the over-representation of young South Sudanese Australians in the youth justice system. In 2024–25 this working group undertook extensive consultation with the South Sudanese Australian community through its adult and youth advisory groups and Interagency Committee to inform a final report of recommendations to address the drivers of over-representation of South Sudanese Australian young people in the youth justice system (DJCS).

Department of Education

DE is committed to upholding the principles enshrined in the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities by actively implementing, promoting and supporting human rights, including for multicultural communities. DE supports its staff to increase their capacity to make decisions and provide advice consistent with the Charter through tailored learning guides, events and activities.

To better understand the Charter, DE hosted 3 Charter Leadership briefings facilitated by the VEOHRC.

Also, all staff complete a mandatory e-learn introducing them to the Charter and its relationship to their work during their induction.

Throughout the year, DE builds on this foundational knowledge by acknowledging and encouraging participation in events and days that promote diversity, inclusion and cultural awareness.

Over the reporting period, DE published staff communications to promote inclusive and respectful workplaces, Cultural Diversity Week, Human Rights Week and Human Rights Day through its Corporate News. DE encouraged staff to celebrate these events by taking part in the VEOHRC’s week of daily actions and attending relevant events and training. These communications help foster a culture of respect, diversity and inclusion.

Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action

DEECA is committed to upholding the principles enshrined in the Charter by actively implementing, promoting and supporting human rights, including for multicultural communities.

DEECA took part in the VEOHRC Charter Education Program in 2024–25. This included delivering tailored sessions to senior leaders and teams, with modules focused on the following learning objectives:

• understanding how the Charter operates
• building knowledge of the protected human rights
• journey mapping decision-making under the Charter and identifying actions to embed and improve practice
• identifying public sector obligations and how human rights can be lawfully limited
• exploring relevant scenarios to apply human rights in day-to-day work
• knowing where to go for more information and resources.

During 2025 DEECA worked with the VEOHRC to deliver the Charter Capability Program with the First Peoples Self Determination Division. This focused on building a human rights culture so all Victorians are treated equally and with dignity and respect. The program deepened knowledge on rights and obligations under the Charter, including how to identify and manage risk. Staff are also supported to develop actions for embedding the Charter within their teams.

The Charter of Human Rights in Victoria online education program is available through the department’s Learning Management System. These e-learning modules address the rights and obligations under equal opportunity and human rights laws. The modules build general awareness of human rights and discrimination in workplaces and develop awareness of the benefits of embedding a culture of human rights at work.

DEECA also acknowledges key events that celebrate human rights including Cultural Diversity Week, Human Rights Week and the International Day of Human Rights.

Department of Families, Fairness and Housing

DFFH has a mandated e-learning module during induction to introduce staff to the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities and its relationship to their work. Anti-racism training is mandatory for people leaders and is delivered in an instructor-led format. All executives have a diversity performance outcome in their personal development plans to embed diversity and inclusion across the department.

DFFH also takes part in annual events that celebrate human rights, including:

• Cultural Diversity Week
• International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
• Human Rights Day
• International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
• International Day of People with Disability
• International Women’s Day
• NAIDOC Week
• Reconciliation Week.

Department of Government Services

In partnership with the VEOHRC, DGS ran the Charter of Human Rights Education Program for staff in 2024–25, including:

• a series of briefings for executive leaders on their responsibilities under the Charter, with a focus on thematic topics such as privacy, Aboriginal cultural rights and housing
• promoting the VPS Charter webinar series for all staff, which considers the Charter in relation to specific topics such as advancing disability rights and gender equality
• an intensive Charter Capability Program for staff from Births Deaths and Marriages and Consumer Affairs Victoria to deepen their understanding and implementation of the Charter.

DGS has also mandated that all staff complete the VEOHRC’s Charter e-learn.

Department of Health

DH is committed to upholding the principles enshrined in the Charter by actively promoting and supporting human rights considerations and obligations in the design and implementation of policies and procedures.

DH supports senior leadership to increase their understanding and capacity to make decisions and provide advice consistent with the Charter through the Charter Leadership Briefings and the Charter and Human Rights and Responsibilities e-learn (managers, legal and policy officers). All staff complete mandatory e-learns in onboarding and every 2 years thereafter.

The following sessions were completed in 2024–25:

• Charter Education Program (instructor-led)
• Charter Leadership Briefings (instructor-led)
• Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities for managers and legal and policy officers (e-learn)
• Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities (e-learn)
• Unconscious Bias (e-learn).

The Charter Guide for Public Sector Workers, Human Rights in Focus webinars and public sector implementation information is available on the DH intranet to help staff understand their responsibilities and to guide implementation in their work.

DH also acknowledges key events that celebrate human rights including Cultural Diversity Week, International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Human Rights Week and the International Day of Human Rights. Other aligned and supporting days of significance are also acknowledged or celebrated.

Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions

DJSIR actively supports human rights, including for multicultural communities. DJSIR staff have access to tailored learning, guides and resources, events and activities that help them act in line with Victoria’s Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities.

DJSIR encourages all staff to complete the first 3 modules in the VEOHRC’s online education program, which cover:

• introducing the Charter
• rights and obligations under the Charter
• embedding a human rights culture in Victoria.

DJSIR also provides staff with the Charter guide for public sector workers to help them understand their responsibilities and how to implement human rights.

DJSIR celebrates annual human rights events such as Cultural Diversity Week, Refugee Week, Human Rights Week and the International Day of Human Rights.

The department also supports the right for every person in Victoria to take part in public life without discrimination, including in the conduct of public affairs such as participating on the boards of Victorian Government entities. DJSIR has taken active steps to ensure diversity and skills information has been updated across the entities to help identify gaps when considering potential appointments to boards. Diversity information has also been collected from potential candidates through expression of interest processes conducted for entities in the Tourism, Sport and Major Events (TSME) portfolio. This helps to identify people with certain diversity characteristics within the candidate pool.

People from diverse backgrounds were represented on the following TSME boards and committees:

• Australian Grand Prix Corporation
• Kardinia Park Stadium Trust
• Melbourne and Olympic Parks Trust
• Melbourne Cricket Ground Trust
• Professional Boxing and Combat Sports Board
• Puffing Billy Railway Board
• State Sport Centres Trust
• Victorian Convention and Event Trust
• Victorian Institute of Sport
• Visit Victoria
• Yarra Park Advisory Committee.

Diverse representation on TSME boards and committees has steadily progressed. For example, 47% of members identify as women, 44% were born overseas (or have a parent born overseas) and 23% identify as culturally, religiously or linguistically diverse.

Board members across the Game Management Authority and Victorian Fisheries Authority include diverse groups. For instance, 65% of board members identify as women, 53% identify as being from a diverse multicultural background and another 53% live regionally.

Across 15 creative industries boards, 37 positions were appointed or renewed during 2024–25. These appointments were made via a 2024 Creative Victoria expression of interest to improve the diversity of candidates. The process resulted in 15 of the 37 appointments representing a multicultural background.

Department of Justice and Community Safety

DJCS is committed to upholding the principles enshrined in the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities by actively implementing, promoting and supporting human rights, including for multicultural communities.

The department upholds the Victorian public sector values, including the human rights value.

DJCS’s learning and capability agenda supports a focus on human rights. This includes:

• implementing the Charter e-learn education program covering 6 modules, of which 3 are for all staff and 3 are for legal and policy staff and managers
• taking part in the VEOHRC’s Charter Education Program
• staff accessing free VEOHRC-run seminars
• a range of respect in the workplace e-learns (mandatory) and facilitated in-person sessions
• Aboriginal Cultural Safety workshops.

DJCS’s diversity action plans contribute to a focus on human rights. In addition to the Multicultural and Multifaith Action Plan 2023–2027, DJCS’s Gender Equality Action Plan 2021–2025, the Disability Action Plan 2022–2026 and the LGBTIQA+ Action Plan 2025–2028 contribute to upholding human rights, taking an intersectional approach.

Department of Premier and Cabinet

In partnership with the VEOHRC, DGS ran the Charter of Human Rights Education Program for staff in 2024, which included:

• briefings for executive leaders on their responsibilities under the Charter, with a focus on thematic topics such as privacy, Aboriginal cultural rights and housing
• promoting the VPS Charter webinar series for all staff, which considered the Charter in relation to specific topics such as advancing disability rights and gender equality
• an intensive Charter Capability Program for staff from the Treaty team to deepen their understanding and implementation of the Charter
• a mandatory e-learn on the Charter.

Department of Transport and Planning

DTP uses the VEOHRC-developed modules. These modules build awareness of human rights and responsibilities under the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities within Victorian public authorities.

The 6 modules are:

• Module 1: An overview of the Charter
• Module 2: Protected rights and obligations under the Charter
• Module 3: What it means to build a culture of human rights in Victoria
• Module 4: Complaints and remedies
• Module 5: The legislative process
• Module 6: Courts and tribunals.

The training is part of DTP’s Mandatory Compliance Curricula.

All staff, including contractors, must complete the first 4 modules, and managers must complete all 6 as part of their mandatory compliance training. Retraining is every 2 years.

Department of Treasury and Finance

In partnership with the VEOHRC, DGS ran the Charter of Human Rights Education Program for DTF staff in 2024. This included:

• briefings for executive leaders on their responsibilities under the Charter, with a focus on thematic topics such as privacy, Aboriginal cultural rights and housing
• promoting the VPS Charter webinar series for all staff, which considers the Charter in relation to specific topics such as advancing disability rights and gender equality
• an intensive Charter Capability Program for staff from the Treaty team to deepen their understanding and implementation of the Charter
• a mandatory e-learn on the Charter.

Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions’ Cultural Diversity Plan 2018–2025¹²

Department of Premier and Cabinet’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2019–2021¹³

Footnotes

¹²Cultural diversity will be a key focus area in the department’s upcoming Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Action Plan.

¹³This strategy is in review, and DGS is developing a new diversity and inclusion strategy that will cover DGS, DPC and DTF, planned for release in late 2025. This strategy remains in place until a new plan is approved and published.

Footnotes

¹⁴Data for Tables A1 to A2 provided by the Victorian Public Sector Commission. Data excludes cemeteries, school councils and small committees of Crown Land Management. Where the Public Administration Act 2004 status is neither public entity nor special body, and where DPC classification is not applicable, the data is not reported. This data is self-reported by government departments and agencies. We take relevant data from the database and use it without additional validation. Figures may change over time as organisations update their data, improve completeness or choose to share more or less information. Machinery of government changes can also affect department-level figures compared with earlier reports.

Footnotes

¹⁵Chinese comprises Chinese First Language, Chinese Second Language, Chinese Second Language Advanced and Chinese Language, Culture and Society; Japanese comprises Japanese First Language and Japanese Second Language; Indonesian comprises Indonesian First Language and Indonesian Second Language; Korean comprises Korean First Language and Korean Second Language; Vietnamese comprises Vietnamese First Language and Vietnamese Second Language. Overseas schools and interstate schools are excluded.

¹⁶Source: Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, 2023 Satisfactory completion of VCE Units. Enrolments in VCE language studies (Unit 4) in Victorian schools in 2023.

Table B4: Proportion of survey respondents who ‘agree’ or ‘strongly agree’ that accepting immigrants from many different countries makes Australia stronger, 2018 to 2025¹⁷

Table B5: Number of complaints made to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission under the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act, 2014–15 to 2024–25¹⁸

Table B6: Number of complaints made to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission in relation to discrimination on the basis of race and religious belief under the Equal Opportunity Act, 2013–14 to 2024–25¹⁹

Table B7: Proportion of Victorians from a non–English speaking background (NESB) who feel multiculturalism at least sometimes makes life better in their area, 2014 to 2024²¹

Table B8: Proportion of adults who felt they experienced discrimination or were treated unfairly by others in the past year because of their skin colour, nationality, race, ethnic group or identifying as Aboriginal²³

Footnotes

¹⁷Source: The Scanlon Foundation’s Mapping Social Cohesion Survey reports. The surveys are conducted annually. Results collected earlier than 2018 are not included for comparison because a different survey mode was used.

¹⁸Source: Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission. The data is collected annually.

¹⁹Source: Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission. The data is collected annually.

²⁰Lockdowns during COVID-19 impacted the number of complaints made. The 2022–23 figure is consistent with pre-COVID levels.

²¹Source: Department of Health, Victorian Population Health Survey 2024.

²²The Victorian Population Health Survey was not conducted in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey resumed in 2022.

²³Source: Department of Health, Victorian Population Health Survey 2024. The language of this heading has changed from the previous report.

Table B9: Number of Victorian children from a non–English speaking background (NESB) enrolled in a Victorian government-funded kindergarten program, 2014 to 2024²⁴

Table B10: Unemployment rate of Victorians born in non-main English-speaking countries compared with the unemployment rate of all Victorians, 2017–18 to 2024–25²⁵

Table B11: Workforce participation rate of Victorians born in non-main English-speaking countries compared with the workforce participation rate of all Victorians, 2017–18 to 2024–25²⁶

Footnote

²⁴Source: Department of Education Kindergarten Census Collection. Data is collected annually. The large increase in 2022 is due to the statewide rollout of 3-year-old kindergarten. The data represents the number of children who were enrolled in a funded kindergarten program and whose family indicated that they speak a main language at home other than English. It is not feasible to calculate a kindergarten participation rate for NESB children because there is no suitable NESB population denominator for children eligible to enrol in 3-year-old or 4-year-old kindergarten. In 2019, 2020 and 2021 there was a system error in the Kindergarten Information Management System. This error removed the ability for service providers to select ‘other’ under the question for ‘Main language spoken at home (if not English)’. Kindergarten services that would have usually entered data in this field may have left this blank. (In 2018 almost 3,500 children had ‘other’ entered in this field.)

²⁵Australian Bureau of Statistics (December 2024), ‘Table 2: Labour force status by State, Territory, Greater capital city, Rest of state (ASGS) and Sex, Australia’, accessed 17 February 2025, Labour Force, Australia, Detailed.

²⁶Australian Bureau of Statistics (December 2024), ‘LM7: Labour force status by elapsed years since arrival, main English-speaking countries, sex, state and territory, January 1991 onwards’, Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, accessed 17 February 2025, Labour Force, Australia, Detailed.