In a landmark move marking 50 years since Australia’s first multiculturalism policy, the Albanese Government has announced the revival of the Office for Multicultural Affairs (OMA) within the Department of Home Affairs — signalling a renewed commitment to celebrating and valuing the country’s rich cultural diversity.
Federal Minister for Multicultural Affairs Dr Anne Aly, now elevated to a standalone Cabinet position for the first time in history, unveiled the plan alongside Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke.
The new OMA will serve as a central hub to align multicultural policies and programs, bringing together key functions including the Adult Migrant English Program, Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National), and various community grants.
“Multiculturalism is not just for a section of our society. Each of us belongs to an Australia enriched by 65,000 years of First Nations culture and the stories of those who came across the seas,” said Dr Aly told SBS News.
“This is about more than celebrating multiculturalism — it’s about valuing diversity and embedding equality across every level of public life.”
The office will work across all three tiers of government to foster a cohesive, inclusive national approach. It aims to shift perceptions away from viewing multicultural communities through a lens of surveillance or social cohesion responsibility alone, concerns long echoed by diaspora groups.
Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke echoed this sentiment, stating:
“Modern Australia and multicultural Australia are the same thing. This office ensures every Australian feels welcomed and at home.”
While the plan falls short of last year’s Multicultural Framework Review recommendation for a dedicated standalone department covering multicultural affairs, immigration, and citizenship, community leaders view the office as a meaningful step forward — particularly as it now sits within Cabinet and closer to the Prime Minister’s ear.
The revival also pays homage to the legacy of former Prime Minister Bob Hawke, who established the original Office for Multicultural Affairs in 1986 under Dr Peter Shergold. Though that office lost prominence by the mid-1990s, Dr Aly’s announcement reflects a symbolic and strategic revival — one aimed at reshaping multicultural policy for a modern, inclusive Australia.
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