Last December, Victoria’s Premier Jacinta Allan announced a few initiatives in order to address social cohesion and community harmony issues, as we were told. Lately, the issue of social cohesion is consistently discussed and defined in the public domain, and by our governments as well, only in terms of cultural diversity, excluding all other parameters of cohesion, class, opportunity, work, income, gender, identity, etc.
This narrowing down of the definition has to be addressed in my opinion, by many. Politicians and multicultural communities. Why? Because this reductionist approach simplifies in a mistaken way complex issues, perpetuates stereotypes and encourages racism.
One of the ways to address the issue, directly, is by participating in Victoria’s Multicultural Review, which will examine how the Victorian Government’s multicultural mechanisms can (the terms of reference have been defined by the state government):
- deliver on their legislated/agreed functions and objectives
- address and prevent racism and discrimination
- promote community harmony and reject division in the context of local and global events
- rebuild interfaith dialogue
- address local issues and community crises in a timely and strategic way
- engage the broader Victorian community in matters relating to social cohesion.
Victoria’s Multicultural Review is led by George Lekakis, who is supported by an advisory group of community experts, including Hass Dellal, Carmel Guerra, Miriam Suss and Mark Duckworth.
As the government literature states: “The review will provide recommendations to the Victorian Government to ensure Victoria’s policies, institutions and programs better reflect and support the needs of our multicultural and multifaith communities, now and into the future.
The policies, institutions and programs that will be reviewed as part of the Victorian Multicultural Review include the Multicultural Affairs Portfolio and the Victorian Multicultural Commission.
If we really wish to have an input as a community, or as active citizens, in the re-writing of the multicultural policy of the state of Victoria, then, we need to participate in the consultation sessions around the state, online and by submitting written feedback.
For all the relevant details, please check out the following link: (https://www.vic.gov.au/victorias-multicultural-review)
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