05/05/2026
Sustained Investment in Multicultural Communities Must Be a Priority Ahead of the Victorian State Election, November 2026
The Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria’s leadership is correct to emphasise that while the 2026–27 State Budget introduces several positive measures, multicultural communities require far more than short‑term relief. As Victoria moves toward a state election, it is essential that all political parties recognise what ECCV has consistently underscored: multicultural communities are not peripheral to policy development; they are foundational to Victoria’s identity, prosperity, and long‑term social cohesion.
ECCV, CEO, Farah Farouque’s call for deeper, sustained investment reflects the lived realities of migrant and refugee communities across the state. Multicultural organisations shoulder a disproportionate share of responsibility in supporting Victorians through cost‑of‑living pressures, discrimination, language barriers, and unequal access to essential services. These organisations are the infrastructure of community wellbeing, yet they continue to operate under persistent under-resourcing. As Farouque notes, the Budget’s practical initiatives are welcome, but they must be complemented by long‑term, structural investment that aligns with the scale and complexity of community needs.
Her acknowledgement of guaranteed funding for multicultural seniors’ clubs is particularly significant. These clubs are not simply recreational spaces; they are vital community anchors that reduce isolation, preserve cultural identity, and uphold the dignity of older Victorians. ECCV’s longstanding advocacy has demonstrated that ethnic seniors’ clubs require stable, ongoing funding rather than intermittent or short‑cycle support.
Chairperson, ECCV Board, Silvia Renda’s message reinforces the urgency of this moment. As she highlights, with a state election approaching, multicultural communities must be central to the commitments of all political parties. The Budget’s targeted initiatives, including anti‑racism programs, refugee hardship support, and expanded English as an Additional Language services, represent meaningful progress. However, without sustained investment in the organisations that deliver frontline support every day, these gains risk being temporary rather than transformative.
ECCV’s position is clear and unwavering:
Victoria’s diversity is one of its greatest strengths, and safeguarding that strength requires consistent, strategic, and long‑term investment. With more than 300 cultural backgrounds, over 290 languages, and nearly 200 faiths represented across the state, multicultural communities are integral to Victoria’s social, economic, and civic life.
As the state prepares for an election, ECCV’s message to all political parties is both timely and compelling:
> Invest in multicultural organisations and regional ethnic
communities to strengthen advocacy and community voice.
> Continue strengthening anti‑racism initiatives.
> Expand language and interpreting services across essential
sectors.
> Support preventative, community‑led youth justice approaches
that build opportunity and reduce harm.
In a challenging fiscal environment, the next Victorian Government has a responsibility to ensure that multicultural communities are not left behind. Sustained investment is not merely a budgetary decision; it is a commitment to fairness, inclusion, and the wellbeing of all Victorians for our common good.
https://eccv.org.au/pre-budget-submission-2026-27/
Ethnic Communities' Council of Victoria
Australian Multicultural Media Centre
Sudanese Mothers Coalition in Victoria
Anthony Albanese
Renda
Farouque
Viv Nguyen - Victorian Multicultural Commission Chairperson
Highlights
