Victoria creates Multicultural Victoria agency, urges cohesion

The Victorian Government introduced the Multicultural Victoria Amendments Bill 2026, which will establish a new state entity called Multicultural Victoria. The agency is set to begin operations on 1 October 2026, merging the Victorian Multicultural Commission and the Multicultural Affairs division of the Department of Premier and Cabinet. It will be led by a Multicultural Coordinator General, two deputies (one required to be from regional Victoria), and a Multicultural Community Advisory Group, with all existing programs and funding carried over.

At the same time, Louise Perry, chair of the Victorian Multicultural Commission, addressed the Think Social Cohesion National Summit in Parramatta, urging governments to adopt a “Listen, Think, Act” approach to strengthen social cohesion. The summit gathered about 160 participants from community organisations, settlement agencies and government to commit to ongoing collaboration and coordinated action across sectors.