The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) is calling on the people of Victoria to help shape the State’s first Anti-Racism Strategy by sharing their experiences of racism and their ideas on how to reduce it.
In a statement, the Department said it was working with the State’s Anti-Racism Taskforce to develop the Strategy, due to launch mid next year.
“The Strategy will seek to proactively prevent and address racism in Victoria and improve the lives of our State’s multicultural and multifaith communities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities,” DFFH said.
“Over the next few months, we will be holding targeted consultations with multicultural and multifaith communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations, key sector organisations, academics and subject matter experts,” it said.
“It is important to us that a wide cross section of the Victorian community provides input into the Strategy development and we want all Victorians to have an opportunity to have their say.”
DFFH said the survey invited feedback on people’s experiences of racism and discrimination in Victoria and Australia; what they believed were the key issues, priorities and needs that should be addressed in the anti-racism Strategy; and their ideas on effective ways to reduce racism in Victoria.
The Department said community input would inform the focus and strategic direction of the Strategy.
It said the survey, open until 6 December, would take 15-20 minutes to complete and all answers were anonymous.
“We ask that you avoid including any identifying information about yourself or anyone else in your answers,” DFFH said.
Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Ros Spence said racism was experienced differently across Victoria’s diverse community, so it was vital that the Strategy be informed by a range of experiences and ideas.
The DFFH survey can be accessed at this PS News link.
