Our Multicultural Community
Mildura Rural City Council is a vibrant multicultural community with 79 different nationalities officially recognised. Council has a range of services to support residents born overseas and who speak languages other than English, including new citizens, asylum seekers and refugees.
Mildura Multicultural Support Network
Council, Sunraysia Mallee Ethnic Communities Council, and AMES Australia are working together to launch a Multicultural Support Network for the Mildura region. In addition to fun community dinners, the network will partner local community members with newly arrived refugees to provide support as they settle in our community.
The network will be launched on Friday 21 October 2022 with a free community dinner and information session. Further details and booking information will be shared soon.
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) storyboards
We have developed a number of great tools to help everyone in our community interact with Council and understand how Council works and how our community functions.
CALD COM storyboards help explain complex issues clearly using pictures and illustrations in simple English. The storyboards were developed by Moreland City Council and adapted by our Council with simple modifications to suit the needs of our community. To find out more view our current storyboards below under the Related Information heading.
Additional storyboards in relation to hazards and emergencies are available on the Community Preparedness page of this website.
Refugee Welcome Zone
Mildura Rural City Council was declared a Refugee Welcome Zone in 2002. This declaration is a public commitment in spirit to:
- Welcoming refugees into our community
- Upholding the human rights of refugees
- Demonstrating compassion for refugees
- Enhancing cultural and religious diversity in our community
Find out more about what it means to be a Refugee Welcome Zone here.
Anti-Racism Strategy
In April 2022, Council hosted an Anti-Racism Yarning Circle community conversation facilitated by Stan Grant. Having initiated this important conversation, Council is in the process of developing a community Anti-Racism Strategy.
In late 2022 the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission will facilitate some group consultation sessions with community members in Mildura. These sessions will assist Council to understand racism issues experienced within our community, and what activities may be best to address these issues. The Anti-Racism Strategy can then be developed and implemented. More information regarding the Strategy and how the community can aid in its development will be shared soon.
Council is also a proud signatory of the Racism - It Stops with Me campaign, and a member of Welcoming Cities
Citizenship
Are you thinking about becoming an Australian Citizen? Council conducts Citizenship ceremonies on behalf of the Australian Government bi-monthly to give new residents the opportunity to celebrate their decision to become an Australia citizen. You can find out more and download application forms here.
Language Services
If you need help when speaking to Council, please call the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) on 131 450 and ask them to telephone Mildura Rural City Council on 03 5018 8100.
You can also request an interpreter when you visit Council Service Centres. Council is open 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday.
Council has been initiating the publishing of information on languages other than English, or in plain English language for CALD communities.