Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced on Tuesday that if re-elected his government will increase the department and agency advertising expenditure allocated to multicultural media and communications from 5 percent to 15 percent.
Mr Andrews said that as the state comes out of “COVID exceptionalism,” it’s time for the government to further support multicultural media.
“We think this [the 15 percent increase] is exactly the way to make sure that you’ve got the revenue that you need to thrive, to keep telling the story, to keep being a trusted voice, to keep making sure that everyone is getting the information they need to participate, to be part of this brilliant multiculturalism that defines us,” Mr Andrews added.
The Victorian Premier also announced a further $1.5 million for grants multicultural media will be able to apply for.
This comes as the Victorian Liberal Party also announced today it will increase state government department and agency advertising expenditure for multicultural media from 5 percent to 12 percent in the first year, and then 10 percent for the remainder of the term.
The initial 12 percent will assist culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) media outlets, including new and emerging communities, with the increased costs and challenges associated with providing their service.
Each Department will have designated CALD media units to ensure the advertising allocation is exclusively within CALD media.
“This commitment will ensure our multicultural communities remain engaged with the broader community and provide them with the knowledge to participate fully in local activities,” Leader of the Liberal Party, Matt Guy, said.
