Rachel Payne MP has spoken in support of the Multicultural Victoria Amendment Bill 2026, welcoming the establishment of a new statutory body but urging the government to back the reform with genuine investment in the grassroots organisations that serve Victoria’s diverse communities.
Full Transcript
Multicultural Victoria – One of the Most Diverse States in Australia
Rachel PAYNE (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (17:03): I rise to make a brief contribution to the Multicultural Victoria Amendment Bill 2026 on behalf of Legalise Cannabis Victoria. Victoria is home to one of the most culturally rich societies in the world, and we are among the fastest growing and most diverse states in Australia. Almost one-third of our population was born overseas, and over half have at least one parent that was born overseas. We have more than 260 languages and 135 different faiths in the Victorian community, and we are better for it.
This bill represents a significant restructure in Victoria’s multicultural affairs framework. It replaces the Victorian Multicultural Commission with a new statutory body, Multicultural Victoria, with the stated aim of strengthening the voices of multicultural and multifaith communities in government decision-making and responding to the recommendations of the 2024 multicultural review. I commend the government for this piece of legislation. But while this bill makes important structural and operational changes to Victoria’s multicultural affairs framework, we must do more than restructure institutions. We must invest in and strengthen the support available to our culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
As our community becomes more diverse, we need to ensure that organisations that serve these communities are well funded and supported. This is critical to social cohesion and inclusion. We must recognise that multicultural organisations are not simply service providers; they are trusted community partners. Supporting grassroots organisations that work directly with diverse communities is incredibly important.
These organisations are often the bedrocks of our communities. They serve our communities and have deep understanding of the cultural, social and economic barriers that communities face.
Southern Migrant and Refugee Centre
The region that I represent, the South-Eastern Metropolitan Region, is a proudly culturally diverse community, with close to 35 per cent of its population born overseas. I would like to use this opportunity to mention some of the amazing community organisations in my region that I work with from time to time.
I recently visited the Southern Migrant and Refugee Centre in Dandenong. For more than 30 years the Southern Migrant and Refugee Centre has been supporting migrants and refugees across the south-east of Melbourne. They have provided culturally responsive community-based services across Greater Dandenong, Casey, Cardinia and surrounding communities, helping people access social, economic, health and wellbeing support in their own languages.
As Victoria becomes increasingly diverse, organisations like SMRC are essential in supporting newly arrived migrants, who sometimes struggle to navigate unfamiliar systems, services and institutions. They provide a trusted, culturally responsive bridge between communities and the services that they need, helping people overcome language and cultural barriers, understand their rights, access support and build confidence and connection in their new community. They help people feel welcome.
Their commitment to human rights and their strong advocacy for their people make organisations like SMRC critical to building more inclusive, connected and equitable communities in our proud multicultural state.
South East Community Links
Similarly, South East Community Links, SECL, is an organisation that has been around for more than 50 years. On Tuesday night South East Community Links held Bring Your Bills, an event in Hampton Park where close to 1500 individuals and families showed up and received support. The strong turnout reflects two things: (1) people trust that South East Community Links can provide them that service and (2) the growing financial pressure of families across the south-east is evident.
Many people came seeking help with essentials: energy bills, mortgages and personal loans. This highlights the significant unmet need for accessible and local financial support in the community. Support like this is particularly important for our culturally diverse communities.
For newly arrived migrants and refugees navigating complex financial systems, bills, government services and support programs can be overwhelming, particularly when English is not their first language. People may also be unaware of the services available to them or hesitant to seek help because of language barriers, cultural expectations or lack of trust in mainstream institutions.
Events like Bring Your Bills demonstrate the importance of meeting Victorians where they are at and providing practical help close to home. As the south-eastern suburbs continue to become more culturally diverse, we must ensure that community organisations have the resources they need to provide culturally appropriate, accessible and trusted support.
Wellsprings for Women
I would also like to acknowledge Wellsprings for Women, which recently celebrated its 32nd anniversary with the launch of its new strategic plan, and I was honoured to attend that event.
For more than three decades Wellsprings has played an important role in supporting migrant and refugee women across Melbourne’s south-east. What began as a kitchen table dream has grown into a trusted and vital community organisation, one that understands the challenges faced by women when settling into a new country and building a new life.
Wellsprings does much more than provide services; it creates a place where women feel welcomed, connected and empowered. It helps women navigate systems, build confidence and skills, access education and employment and strengthen their connections with their community.
Hearing directly from women who have been supported by Wellsprings is perhaps the strongest testament to the importance of their work. They feel seen, connected and welcomed. Their stories remind me that behind every program and every service is a person who has found connection, confidence, safety and a sense of belonging.
Investing in Connection, Not Just Services
Their stories make clear why we must ensure that organisations like Wellsprings for Women are appropriately funded and supported. Grassroots organisations are often best placed to understand the needs of their communities and to reach people who may otherwise fall through the gaps. Investing in organisations like Wellsprings is not simply about funding services; it is about investing in more connected communities. When we invest in trusted community organisations, we invest in inclusion. We are creating stronger pathways into health, social and community services, empowering Victorians and ensuring that services are delivered with respect, cultural awareness and a testament that they actually do work. Ultimately, building a truly multicultural Victoria means building a community where diversity is not simply acknowledged but supported and valued and where every person, every family and every community has an opportunity to thrive.
Backing Reform with Resourcing
Importantly, it is not an exaggeration to say that community organisations are on the front line of some of our most challenging issues. They are often best placed to identify and build awareness around family violence, challenge harmful attitudes, identify people who may otherwise remain invisible to the mainstream system and connect people with specialist services. But to do this they need resourcing. We cannot expect small community organisations to carry out critical prevention, early intervention and referral work without sustainable funding. We welcome the changes represented in this bill but ask the government to be mindful that they must be backed by appropriate resourcing to make a meaningful difference. On behalf of the Legalise Cannabis Party, we support this bill.
Community Organisations Deserve Real Backing
Rachel’s contribution makes clear that Legalise Cannabis Victoria supports the restructure at the heart of this bill — but that structural reform alone isn’t enough. Her tour through organisations like the Southern Migrant and Refugee Centre, South East Community Links and Wellsprings for Women highlights the trusted, on-the-ground work grassroots groups do every day, and the case for ensuring they’re properly resourced to keep doing it.
