Victorian Opposition Leader Jess Wilson has visited Shree Swaminarayan Temple Boronia, joining senior Liberal MPs, candidates, temple leaders and community volunteers for prayers, aarti and discussions with members of Melbourne’s Indian-Australian community.
Ms Wilson was joined by Evan Mulholland MP, Shadow Minister for Multicultural and Multifaith Affairs; Richard Welch MP, Shadow Minister for Industry, Manufacturing and Innovation, AI and the Digital Economy; David Kitchen, Liberal candidate for Bayswater; and Deirdre Diamante, Liberal candidate for the North-Eastern Metropolitan Region.
The delegation was welcomed by temple leaders and volunteers before taking part in aarti and meeting community members inside the temple complex.
The visit placed attention on the growing role of Hindu temples and Indian-Australian organisations in Victoria’s social, cultural and civic life, particularly across Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.
Speaking at the temple, Ms Wilson thanked the Shree Swaminarayan community for its welcome and said places of worship played an important role in strengthening families, community service and social cohesion.
“It is a real honour to be here at Shree Swaminarayan Temple Boronia and to be welcomed so warmly by the community,” Ms Wilson said.
“Victoria’s multicultural and multifaith communities are one of our greatest strengths, and the values we see here — family, faith, service and hard work — are values that make our state stronger.”
Ms Wilson said the Liberal Party wanted to continue listening to community organisations and faith leaders about the issues affecting families across Victoria.
“Temples like this are not only places of worship. They are places where young people learn culture, where families come together, where volunteers serve others, and where community is built every day,” she said.
“That contribution deserves respect, recognition and support.”
Evan Mulholland MP said the visit reflected the Coalition’s commitment to multicultural and multifaith Victorians.
“Victoria is home to extraordinary communities of faith, and the Indian-Australian community has made a remarkable contribution to our state,” Mr Mulholland said.
“What we saw today at Shree Swaminarayan Temple Boronia was a community built on seva, on service, and on passing culture and values to the next generation.”
Mr Mulholland said religious and cultural institutions needed to be recognised as part of the state’s social infrastructure.
“These communities do so much work quietly — supporting families, helping young people, teaching language and culture, and bringing people together,” he said.
“As Shadow Minister for Multicultural and Multifaith Affairs, I want to make sure these voices are heard and respected in Spring Street.”
Richard Welch MP said the Indian-Australian community was also playing a growing role in Victoria’s economy, innovation sector and small business landscape.
“The Indian-Australian community is full of entrepreneurs, professionals, engineers, technology workers, manufacturers and small business owners,” Mr Welch said.
“These are exactly the people helping Victoria grow, and we should be backing communities that are building businesses, creating jobs and investing in the future.”
Mr Welch said Victoria needed to do more to support families and businesses across the state.
“Whether it is industry, digital technology, manufacturing or education, the contribution of this community is significant,” he said.
“Victoria’s future will be stronger when we support people who are willing to work hard, build, innovate and give back.”
David Kitchen, the Liberal candidate for Bayswater, said the Boronia temple was an important part of the local community.
“This temple is a place of faith, but it is also a place of belonging,” Mr Kitchen said.
“For many families in this area, Shree Swaminarayan Temple is where they connect with culture, raise their children with strong values, and build lifelong friendships.”
Mr Kitchen said local community organisations should not be taken for granted.
“Local volunteers are the backbone of communities like this,” he said.
“They give their time, they organise events, they support families and they keep culture alive. That is something we should celebrate and support.”
Deirdre Diamante, Liberal candidate for the North-Eastern Metropolitan Region, said the visit showed the importance of engaging directly with diverse communities.
“It was wonderful to meet families, volunteers and community leaders and to hear directly from them,” Ms Diamante said.
“Multicultural Victoria works best when leaders turn up, listen and build genuine relationships with communities.”
She said the temple’s work reflected the strength of Victoria’s Indian diaspora.
“From faith and culture to education and service, the community here is doing incredible work,” she said.
“It is important that these contributions are recognised not just at election time, but every day.”
Shree Swaminarayan Temple Boronia has long served as a spiritual, cultural and community centre for Indian Australians, particularly the Gujarati community in Melbourne’s east.
The temple runs religious programs, youth and family activities, Gujarati language learning and volunteer-led community initiatives.
During the visit, Coalition representatives also met volunteers who help manage the temple’s day-to-day activities, including worship programs, community events and cultural education.
The visit comes as Victorian political parties increase engagement with multicultural and multifaith communities ahead of the state election, with Indian-Australians becoming an increasingly visible part of civic life across Melbourne.
For Ms Wilson, the temple visit formed part of a broader effort to present the Coalition as a party willing to engage with communities on faith, family, education, small business and community safety.
For the temple community, it was an opportunity to showcase the role Hindu institutions play in supporting migrants, preserving heritage and building bridges with wider Australian society.
Ms Wilson said she was grateful for the welcome and looked forward to continuing the conversation with the community.
“Thank you for opening your doors to us,” she said.
“We leave with a deeper appreciation of the work being done here and the contribution this community makes to Victoria.”
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