The City of Greater Geelong has made a submission to the state government’s Victorian Multicultural Review, highlighting the council’s commitment to a diverse and inclusive community.
The review, announced by Premier Jacinta Allen in December last year, is intended to examine multiculturalism in the state and provide recommendations to the Victorian government on its policies, institutions and programs.
In its submission the City outlined the ways in which it supports multiculturalism, such as funding events and festivals such as Pako Festa, partnering with multicultural organisations and gathering feedback from non-English speaking residents.
The submission also included recommendations on several topics, including ensuring inclusivity and equity in planning and service provision, building the capacity of multicultural communities, health and wellbeing, organisational collaboration, community feedback, accessibility, displaying a public anti-racism stance and removing barriers to participation.
Councillor Andrew Katos is chair of council’s Multicultural Affairs & Citizenship portfolio and the son of Greek migrants.
He said council was grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the Victorian government’s Multicultural Review.
“Multiculturalism enriches our local community and contributes to its social and economic vitality,” he said.
“We’ve made recommendations to the state that will benefit not only Geelong but Victoria as a whole, such as providing translation services in multiple languages across communication channels and continuing a strong, public stance against racism and discrimination.
“Addressing these issues requires a collaborative approach involving community consultation, inclusive planning, and targeted support services that recognise local context.”
Submissions have closed on the Victorian Multicultural Review. Visit vic.gov.au/victorias-multicultural-review for more information.
