While we can never take our social cohesion for granted, the daily experience of Australians in the suburbs and the regions is positive. People get on.
Victorian Premier's Multicultural Gala Dinner 2026
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre - 22 August, 2026
It is wonderful to be with you again this year, reconnecting with so many friends and leaders from Victoria's vibrant multicultural and multifaith communities.
While my role is national, I am a proud, lifelong Victorian and we remain Australia's most cosmopolitan state!
I was in Sydney last night at a major event – look, it was nice. The people were terrific. But this is in my view the best event on the national calendar!
This year's theme is Stories of Us. It's simple, yet its power and strength lies in the two plurals.
'Stories' – despite what some may claim or pretend, there is no single story of Australia or Victoria. We are not a monoculture – never have been.
Our great national story is comprised of literally millions of individual stories of incredible diversity. Every community, every family and every place carry a story that we weave together to create the unfolding story of Australia.
And the other plural – 'us'. Diversity is core to who we are as a society, as a people. As Australians, we seek unity, not uniformity.
Our national story of course, on our vast and ancient continent, began more than 65,000 years ago with what are today the world's oldest continuing cultures. I echo the acknowledgement of country, as a simple mark of respect, reflecting a core truth about what it means to be Australian.
I also acknowledge Premier Ben Carroll; the Minister for Multicultural Victoria, Paul Edbrooke; the Leader of the Opposition, State Parliamentary colleagues, the Victorian Multicultural Commission and so many community leaders.
I'll keep it brief, and will just say three things, given the moment we are in.
Firstly, the elephant in the room, is the attack this year by a loud minority on multiculturalism and the accompanying shameful, shocking spike in racism.
This does not represent the view of the majority of Australians, yet it is deeply hurtful, and often scary now, for many.
It is also founded on a giant lie – the myth of the monoculture.
Former Prime Minister Paul Keating called this out powerfully in 1996 when Senator Hanson was first elected to the national Parliament and his words are even truer today than then.
The question isn't whether we will be diverse or are multicultural – of course we are! I mean look around people!
The question is whether we will remain successful? Whether our diversity will remain a national asset – a source of strength, wealth and prosperity. Whether our multilingualism, multifaith, multiethnic, multicultural identity will help us to trade and engage with our region and the world.
Or whether intercommunal divisions, tensions and fear will be stoked by politicians for votes, weakening and dividing our society and great democracy.
Ten years ago, in my first speech to the Australian Parliament, I spoke about this:
"The politics they play is both devious and dangerous. It is devious because it taps into genuine community concerns, such as economic exclusion and uncertainty, and it is dangerous because it trades on the basest of human instincts, to fear 'the Other' and scapegoat 'people not like me'.
This is surely the lowest form of politics and the antithesis of good leadership, and it is a path that I know all of my Labor colleagues reject."
I also believe those words to be as true today as back then.
Let me also say clearly then tonight, that the second lowest form of politics is saying the right things, yet failing to speak up when things get difficult.
Turning up to community events, galas or businesses – taking photos, eating the food.
Yet being silent when a community is being targeted, when prejudice is politically convenient, when standing up comes with a cost.
You cannot tell multicultural communities that you value them on Saturday night and spend Monday morning flirting with political movements whose business model depends on making those same Australians feel that they don't belong.
Secondly, despite the risks and all that is at stake, I am very optimistic.
While we can never take our social cohesion for granted, the daily experience of Australians in the suburbs and the regions is positive. People get on. We live well together.
Hate, racism and violence do not stem from diversity. It is social distance, misinformation and polarisation that create a lack of empathy and vulnerability to division, not diversity itself. Algorithms of course aren't helping as it is too easy to live in bubbles, only encountering people who look, sound and think like us.
So as leaders, we need to continue our focus on building bridges between communities, as mutual understanding and relationships are the most powerful antidote to division.
So I encourage you to focus in the year ahead on sharing your cultural traditions with others, listening and engaging with other groups, enhancing the intercultural bonds in our multicultural society.
When we know and understand each other, as humans, as neighbours, colleagues, teammates, friends and Australians then we fulfil the promise of Australian multiculturalism – that everyone gets a fair go and belongs when they sign up to our laws, values and that principle of mutual respect for their fellow citizens.
Finally, a genuine thank you to everyone in this room.
To the volunteers who spend countless hours building and supporting communities.
To the people who welcome newly arrived families and help them integrate.
To those who preserve and pass languages, cultures and traditions to the next generation.
To those faith leaders who bring people together and build bridges.
To all here who have the courage to challenge racism and prejudice when they encounter it.
And to those who give governments frank advice – including when we'd sometimes rather not hear it.
This Federal Government stands with you, and will always back your right to proudly bring all parts of your identity to all parts of your lives, here in Australia.
Thank you to Premier Ben Carroll and your Government for leading by example.