CCCAV Calls for Fairness and Inclusion in Migration Policy Debate
17 May 2026
Recent proposed migration and welfare policy changes have raised concerns among multicultural communities across Australia. This comes amid a broader trend that has emerged in recent years of increasingly negative rhetoric surrounding migration, including narratives that unfairly blame migrants.
Under the proposal, access to a range of welfare programs—including JobSeeker and the NDIS—would be restricted to Australian citizens, excluding permanent residents and other non-citizens.
Community leaders have warned that such measures risk creating division, reinforcing an “us versus them” narrative, and undermining the sense of belonging, at a time when social cohesion is more important than ever.
Permanent residents are fully contributing members of Australian society—they work, pay taxes, and contribute to the economy and communities, just as citizens do, and should have fair and equitable access to essential support services.
Australia’s strength lies in its diversity and multiculturalism. Policies should recognise the contributions of all members of society and promote unity, fairness, and inclusion.
CCCAV encourages constructive dialogue and meaningful engagement with multicultural communities to ensure policies are evidence-based, reflect the foundations that have made Australia strong and cohesive, and contribute to a fairer and more prosperous Australia.
Fostering Cross‑Cultural Understanding: CCCAV Visit to the Jewish Museum of Australia
CCCAV representatives were honoured to visit the Jewish Museum of Australia on Sunday, 26 April 2026.
We proudly stand in solidarity with the Jewish‑Australian community in opposing antisemitism and all forms of racism, and in fostering cross‑cultural understanding and respect.
Diana shared: “I was honoured to coordinate a CCCAV cultural awareness tour session as part of JCCV’s Educate 10,000 campaign.
The Jewish Museum of Australia truly illuminates Jewish life — sharing stories of settlement, history, faith, culture, memory, resilience, and diverse community voices.
Grateful to the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) for its leadership and collaboration with the Museum on this meaningful initiative.
Culture connects us. Education strengthens understanding. Shared humanity brings us closer — helping build a more inclusive, diverse and stronger multicultural Australia.”
Aurora reflected: “I am truly grateful for the opportunity to take part in this group visit at JMA, it is a genuine honour to represent the CCCAV today. My sincere thanks to Yvette for guiding us with care and insight, her thoughtful and engaging approach made the experience both meaningful and memorable.
This visit deepened my understanding of Jewish culture and the history of Jewish community settlement in Australia. What resonated most strongly with me were the shared values that feel both timeless and universal: a deep commitment to family, the importance of passing knowledge and inspiration across generations, and the ability to adapt while holding onto identity.
These reflections stay with us. They remind us that, even across different histories and cultures, there is a common hope—for a future that is not only prosperous, but also fair, compassionate, and enduring.”
On ANZAC Day, we pause to honour all those who served and sacrificed in the defence of freedom and peace, across generations and backgrounds. Among them were Chinese Australians whose contributions in times of war form an important part of our shared history.
Today is a time for quiet reflection, gratitude, and remembrance — acknowledging the courage, resilience, and commitment of those who gave so much so that future generations may live in peace.
Congratulations to All Participants Selected for the 2026 Chinese-Australian Community Leaders Summit | 祝贺所有成功入选 2026 年澳华社区领袖峰会的各位参与者
Congratulations to all participants selected for the 2026 Chinese‑Australian Community Leaders Summit, including CCCAV committee members Yue Hu and Mia Huang. This selection is a well‑deserved recognition of their talent, commitment, and leadership.
Bilingual Job Opportunity for Vietnamese and/or Chinese Speakers: Fisheries Officer Trainee
Do you speak Vietnamese and/or Chinese and want a meaningful government career serving the community? The Fisheries Officer (Bilingual Trainee) role in Swan Hill is a great opportunity to use your language skills to engage with diverse fishing communities, promote compliance, and help protect Victoria’s fisheries. This paid traineeship provides structured training, hands‑on experience, and a strong entry point into a public service career.
Applications close at 23:59pm on Tuesday, 5 May 2026.
你会说越南语和／或中文，并希望从事一份服务社区的政府工作吗？位于 Swan Hill 的双语见习渔业监管官（Fisheries Officer, Bilingual Trainee）岗位，为你提供一个运用语言优势、与多元文化社区交流、推动守法意识并共同保护维多利亚州渔业资源的良好机会。该岗位为带薪见习职位，提供系统培训和实践经验，是进入公共服务领域的一个稳健起点。
Lifeline Support Toolkit: Practical Resources for Mental Wellbeing
Lifeline’s online Support Toolkit offers practical, easy‑to‑use resources to help people navigate difficult moments and support their mental wellbeing.
Designed for individuals, families, and communities, the toolkit provides guidance on understanding emotions, managing stress, and exploring coping strategies at your own pace. It also helps you recognise when extra support may be needed and how to reach out safely and confidently.
The Support Toolkit is confidential, free, and accessible online—making it a helpful first step for anyone seeking support, or for those looking to better support others during challenging times.
The toolkit can also be viewed in Chinese by clicking the “Translate” button at the top right of the page. Please note that this translation is generated automatically and may not be fully accurate.
International Women’s Day Forum Highlights Women’s Voices in War, Memory, and PeaceBuilding
Community leaders, scholars, artists and members of the public gathered at RMIT University on Saturday 7 March for the 2026 International Women’s Day Forum: Women’s Voices in War, Memory, and The Pursuit of Peace. The forum focused on women’s experiences of conflict, historical memory, and peace‑building.
The forum opened with an Acknowledgement of Country by Associate Professor Dr Jing Qi, followed by welcoming remarks from Dr Jimmy Li. Dr Li emphasised that peace should not be understood as a settled historical achievement, but as an ongoing process—one that must be actively renewed through education, dialogue, and honest remembrance. He highlighted the importance of listening to women’s voices, noting that women’s experiences of war have too often been marginalised or silenced.
Deputy Mayor Cr Li Zhang of the City of Glen Eira spoke about the significance of International Women’s Day as both a celebration of women’s leadership and a reminder of persistent global inequalities. She noted that women and girls often bear the greatest impact of war and violence, and emphasised that preserving women’s stories with dignity is essential to building understanding and promoting peace. Cr Zhang also highlighted the role of community forums in fostering intergenerational learning and dialogue within multicultural communities.
Cr Gladys Liu of the City of Melbourne spoke about the City’s commitment to inclusivity and respectful community engagement. She said that while history cannot be changed, it must be learned from, particularly to ensure that women and children are not going to suffer.
The forum featured a series of presentations examining women’s testimony and memory. Professor Yuki Tanaka spoke on Sharing Pain Generates Hope, recounting the story of atomic bomb survivor Suzuko Numata, who reflected on shared suffering and renewal through the image of a wounded yet surviving paulownia tree. Professor Gil‑Soo Han examined The Kim Bok‑dong Legacy, highlighting the lasting influence of the late survivor‑activist’s advocacy and calling for dignity and justice not only through historical recognition, but also in everyday life.
Christine Kim, President of the Alliance for Peace and Memory, spoke on The Power of Voice, sharing the story of Kim Hak‑sun, whose public testimony broke decades of silence around wartime sexual violence and became a turning point in global awareness and advocacy. Author Georgina Banks presented the story of her great‑aunt Dorothy “Bud” Gwendoline Howard Elmes, drawing attention to the Bangka Island massacre in WWII and the importance of truth‑telling in addressing long‑silenced histories.
Musical performances by Stephanie Chen on flute and Young Rang Kim on gayageum created powerful moments of reflection, complementing the forum’s themes of remembrance and resilience.
A panel discussion and Q&A explored how younger generations—many without direct experience of war—can engage meaningfully with histories of conflict. Speakers emphasised that education, storytelling and the arts play a vital role in preserving historical memory, and that peace‑building and respect for women begin in everyday life.
Co‑hosted by the Alliance for Peace and Memory, Chinese Australians for Peace Association, Friends of “Comfort Women” in Melbourne, Asian Australian Volunteers, and the Chinese Australian Studies Forum at RMIT, the forum reaffirmed a shared commitment to honour women’s voices, remember truthfully, and work collectively toward peace.
(By Organising Committee for the 2026 International Women’s Day Forum: Women’s Voices in War, Memory, and The Pursuit of Peace)
2026 International Women’s Day Forum – Women’s Voices: War, Memory, and the Pursuit of Peace
The forum brings together historians, authors, scholars, and community advocates to explore how women experience war, how violence and injustice are remembered, denied, or silenced, and why truthful remembrance is essential to dignity, justice, and peace.
Date: Saturday 7 March 2026, 1:30PM for 2:00PM-4:00PM
Co-hosted by: * Alliance for Peace and Memory * Chinese Australians for Peace Association * Friends of “Comfort Women” in Melbourne * Chinese Australian Studies Forum at RMIT * Asian Australian Volunteers
Speakers:
* Professor Yuki Tanaka Historian Professor Yuki Tanaka is a historian whose work focuses on war, violence, and historical responsibility in the Asia–Pacific region. A former Research Professor at the Hiroshima Peace Institute, he has written extensively on war crimes, civilian suffering, and wartime sexual violence, including influential studies on the Japanese military “comfort women” system and the politics of historical memory and accountability.
* Georgina Banks Author, Back to Bangka: Searching for the Truth about a Wartime Massacre Georgina Banks is the author of Back to Bangka, a non-fiction work that investigates the 1942 Bangka Island massacre of Australian Army nurses through family history, archival research, and personal reflection. Published in 2023, the book explores silence, intergenerational memory, and the long search for truth surrounding women’s experiences of wartime violence.
* Professor Gil-Soo Han Scholar of Media, Culture, and Historical Memory Professor Gil Soo Han is a Professor at Monash University whose research examines media, nationalism, and historical memory, particularly in East Asia. His work explores how histories of conflict and injustice are represented and contested in public discourse, and how collective memory shapes dignity, reconciliation, and peace.
* Christine Kim President, Alliance for Peace and Memory; Secretary, Friends of “Comfort Women” in Melbourne Christine Kim is the Secretary of Friends of “Comfort Women” in Melbourne, a community organisation dedicated to remembrance, education, and advocacy for justice for women subjected to sexual violence during war. Her advocacy work centres on survivor dignity, intergenerational memory, and the role of public remembrance in promoting human rights and peace.
