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​​​Multicultural Affairs Ministers from across Australia met at NSW Parliament House on Friday 2 June 2023 for the Ministerial Forum on Multicultural Affairs, to advance inter-governmental cooperation on Australia’s social inclusion and multicultural affairs agendas.

The Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, Hon Andrew Giles MP, chaired the Forum, which was attended by Multicultural Affairs Ministers or their representatives, from each state and territory.

Minister Giles outlined the Australian Government’s approach to building on Australia’s multicultural success, including by implementing the Multicultural Framework Review into the Australian Government’s multicultural policy institutions and settings.

Minister Giles stressed that a successful Referendum for the Constitutional Recognition of First Nations people through a Voice to Parliament will be an important nation-building reform.

In recognition of the ancient and continuing cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Ministers committed to working collaboratively across jurisdictions to support a constitutionally enshrined Voice to Parliament.

In acknowledgement of the diversity of First Nations cultures, languages, lore and connection to lands and waters, Ministers reinforced the role played by multiculturalism as a central characteristic of a shared Australian identity alongside the world’s oldest continuous culture.

Multicultural Affairs Ministers agreed to engage actively with and encourage community leaders across Australia to support the Voice and learn more about how they can be involved in promoting awareness in the lead up to the Referendum across our culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Ministers committed to engaging with both national peak bodies involved in social inclusion and multicultural affairs and grassroots community associations to ensure broad consultation with culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Discussion between Ministers was informed by expert briefing from Australian Electoral Commissioner Mr Tom Rogers about the Commission’s communication to culturally and linguistically diverse communities about the Referendum. Emphasis was also placed on the independence of the AEC in the briefing.

Ministers recorded their support for the Australian Electoral Commission’s efforts to support the accessibility of Australians from non-English speaking backgrounds to Referendum information by providing a range of translated materials in community languages.

Ministers also discussed a number of issues relating to Australia’s migration and settlement policies.

Ministers noted their interest in actively contributing to consultations conducted during the Multicultural Framework Review, which was launched by Minister Giles at a special Celebrating 50 Years of Australian Multiculturalism event, held in the evening of 2 June at the Addison Road Community Centre in Marrickville, Sydney. State and territory governments will be key stakeholders of the Review, which will be finalised in March 2024.