Portfolio — 8 July 2026

The Minister for Multicultural and Multifaith Victoria, Ms Stitt, moved to advance the Victorian Government's multicultural reform agenda on 8 July, announcing that applications will soon open for key positions in the proposed statutory body Multicultural Victoria [TA-260708-vicmed-c0d54d324b82]. The new body will merge the Victorian Multicultural Commission and Multicultural Affairs into a single entity, taking on expanded responsibilities that include developing safety plans for communities affected by serious and distressing events [TA-260708-vicmed-c0d54d324b82].

That mandate — particularly the community safety planning function — signals a broader conception of what a multicultural statutory body is expected to do, extending beyond traditional advocacy and grant administration into active community resilience work.

The establishment of Multicultural Victoria remains contingent on the passage of enabling legislation [TA-260708-vicmed-c0d54d324b82], meaning the recruitment process is running in parallel with, rather than following, the legislative process. This sequencing carries some operational risk: if legislation is delayed or amended, appointments made under the current process may need to be revisited.

The ministerial media release does not address that contingency.

The announcement also marks a transition in the existing commission's leadership. Ms Vivienne Nguyen AM's term as VMC Chairperson concludes alongside the opening of applications, and Ms Louise Perry has been appointed interim Chairperson from 16 July until the new body is formally established. The appointment of an interim chair suggests the Victorian Government is treating continuity of leadership as a priority during the reform transition rather than leaving the position vacant.

The portfolio frames Multicultural Victoria as a mechanism to strengthen multicultural and multifaith communities, improve the government's direct connection with those communities, and support unity and cohesion across Victoria. That framing is consistent with a whole-of-community positioning rather than a narrower administrative consolidation rationale. Policy staff should note that no parliamentary debate record is present for this date — the record reflects ministerial communications only, and the legislative instrument underpinning the new body has not yet been publicly introduced.