Multicultural Advisory Committee

Monash is one of the most culturally diverse communities in Victoria with around 45% of our population born overseas.

This committee's aim is to provide Council with advice on multicultural issues and on the implementation of Council's Monash Health and Wellbeing Plan.

Responsibilities

The committee:

  • Consults on issues affecting Monash's culturally and linguistically diverse community and provides feedback and advice to Council on its policies, plans and services that impact people of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds
  • Helps Council to promote the benefits of cultural diversity in the Monash municipality and beyond and provides advice to Council with its communication, engagement and consultation with CALD communities
  • Advocates on behalf of CALD residents
  • Considers joint funding and other opportunities that may arise.

Terms of Reference 

Multicultural Advisory Committee - Terms of Reference(PDF, 140KB)

Meeting Frequency and Duration

Appointments to the Multicultural Advisory Committee are for a two-year term and members may re-apply for a further 2-year term.

The committee meets every 2 months for 2 hours, and we expect each member attends a minimum of 60% of all meetings.

Current Membership

Background

10 December 2024

At its 10 December 2024 meeting, Council:

  1. Endorsed a 2-year term extension for the following 6 existing Multicultural Advisory Committee members: Eman Armanous, Nira Rahman, Malinda Zhu, Amit Patel, Rajmohan Ramanathapillai and Philip Liberatore.
  2. Thanked Elisha Lee, as outgoing Multicultural Advisory Committee Member, for her time and valuable contribution over the past 2 years (as a community representative).
  3. Noted the resignation of the following representatives and thanked them for their valuable contribution: Rida Khan and Rukhsana Ahmadi.

29 November 2022

Council endorsed the appointment of the following 8 new community representatives and 1 agency representative to the Multicultural Advisory Committee, each for a two-year term, at its 29 November 2022 Meeting.

  • Oksana King - second term
  • Mohamed Mohideen - second term
  • Elisha Lee
  • Nira Rahman
  • Rajmohan Ramanathapillai
  • Eman Armanous
  • Philip Liberatore
  • Amit Patel
  • Malinda Zhu
  • Saied Rezawi – Agency representative: MiCare

We would like to acknowledge and thank Rida Khan and Rukhsana Ahmadi, who resigned from the Multicultural Advisory Committee in 2024, for their time and commitment to advocacy and celebration of cultural diversity in Monash.

30 March 2021

At its 30 March 2021 meeting, Council endorsed:

  • Appointment of the following 4 community representatives to the Multicultural Advisory Committee, each for a 2-year term: Dakhina Mitra, Oksana King, Rida Khan and Mohamed Mohideen.
  • Updated Multicultural Advisory Committee Terms of Reference.

At its 27 January 2021 meeting, Council noted the resignation of Shivan Arora and Harvey Foenander from the Multicultural Advisory Committee, with Esha Zahid completing her term.

Contact

Cultural Diversity Community Development Officer
Kate Wijeyesinghe (she/her)
Phone: 9518 3241
Email: kate.wijeyesinghe@monash.vic.gov.au

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