CEO message: April
With the Federal Election fast approaching on 3 May, CMY and MYAN Australia have been urging political parties to take bold action now to address the systemic barriers faced by multicultural young people and to treat them as key stakeholders in Australia’s future. Millennials and Gen Z now make up over 40% of the electorate, their voices matter more than ever.
Read more about our national priorities in MYAN Australia’s election platform or hear the perspectives of young people from our Youth Advisory Groups on the election and key issues that matter to them. Communities can access translated and accessible information about the Federal Election from the Australian Electoral Commission.
I was saddened to hear of the recent police shooting of Abdifatah Ahmed in Melbourne’s west. We stand with the community in calling for an independent investigation to understand how and why this tragedy occurred, and to ensure the police are adequately resourced and trained to prevent such an incident from happening again. We must prioritise early intervention and prevention mental health services, which are culturally responsive and address the root causes of disadvantage.
Earlier this month, CMY participated in a State Government consultation for Victoria’s Multicultural Review, voicing critical insights on issues affecting multicultural young people and communities. A group of senior leaders and program staff joined the session with George Lekakis AO, Chair of the Multicultural Review, and Miriam Suss OAM, member the recently formed Targeted Advisory Group which I am also part of.
CMY emphasised the need for a renewed approach to multiculturalism. Specifically, one rooted in equity, human rights, anti-racism, and youth empowerment. Read more about the consultation here. I encourage those of you who are interested to share your input at an upcoming community consultation, or make a written submission here.
Youth Homelessness Matters Day was on 16 April. CMY is a supporter of Home Time, a national campaign to unlock Australia’s housing system for almost 40,000 children and young people with nowhere to live. You can take action in the lead up to the election at the Home Time website here. We also recently hosted a forum exploring the issue of housing stress and homelessness for multicultural youth, and have released a summary of key insights from the day.
Finally, earlier this month CMY was pleased to welcome the passing of the landmark Justice Legislation Amendment (Anti-vilification and Social Cohesion) Bill 2024 through Parliament. We acknowledge the Government’s ongoing commitment to strengthening anti-vilification laws and improving social cohesion in Victoria.
The long-awaited changes are the culmination of more than five years of work, which included a number of consultation phases and opportunities for the community to engage. CMY provided feedback and input at various stages, bringing the concerns and experiences of multicultural young people and families we work with into the conversation.
Carmel Guerra OAM
CMY CEO