Introduction

Victoria Police serves a community that is rich in multi-faith, multiculturalism and diversity – we celebrate its strength and value. Our aim is that the make-up of our workforce reflects the diversity in the Victorian community, with benefits stretching into every aspect of our work.

The experience of our CALD employees tells us about our workplace culture and is ultimately reflected in our service delivery.

Over the last decade we have made progress towards becoming a multicultural organisation. We have uplifted our capability and our organisation is stronger and more agile as a result. However our CALD employees continue to experience barriers that we are determined to remove.

Since launching the CALD Inclusion Strategy and Action Plan 2018–2021 (2018–2021 Action Plan), Victoria Police has examined our cultural policing practices and history with CALD communities in several ways.

The lessons from independent reviews and self-examination informs our CALD Inclusion Action Plan 2023–2024 (Action Plan) and contributes to building a safe and inclusive workplace for all employees.

This action plan commits us to the specific actions we must take to achieve our goal of a having a diverse workforce and being an inclusive organisation as outlined in the Framework.

Our long-term outcomes focused approach ensures progress is continually monitored and creates accountability.

The actions in this plan build upon the progress made from the 2018–2021 action plan and are informed by evidence-based assessments of our performance and employee engagement. This action plan is the next step to creating a safe place to work, free of racism and prejudice.

Strategic environment

We work towards our vision consistent with Victorian and Commonwealth multicultural policies and the legislative framework including:

• Multicultural Australia – United, Strong Successful – Australia’s multicultural statement renews and re-affirms the Commonwealth Government’s commitment to multiculturalism with a clear message on the values and responsibilities that underpin Australian society.
• Victoria’s Multicultural Policy Statement provides a whole of Victorian government framework that recognises and values the cultural, racial, religious and linguistic diversity of the peoples of Victoria.
• The Victoria Police CALD Inclusion Strategy is underpinned by legislation and regulations:
  • The Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001 prohibits behaviour that incites or encourages hatred, serious contempt, revulsion or severe ridicule against another person or group of people because of their race or religion.
  • Under the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 all Victorian Government departments and service providers have a positive duty to take reasonable and proportionate measures to identify and eliminate discrimination.
  • The Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (s19) sets out the basic rights of Victorians to live with freedom, respect, equality and dignity; and requires public authorities to act compatibly with the Charter.
  • The Multicultural Victoria Act 2011 recognises in its preamble that a central tenet of multiculturalism is citizenship, not limited to formal Australian citizenship and including the rights and responsibilities of all people in a multicultural society.
  • Victoria Police Act 2013 is the primary legal instrument regulating the objectives, structure and powers of Victoria Police.
  • Public Administration Act 2004 places an obligation on public sector employers to establish processes to ensure employment decisions are based on merit, employees are treated fairly and reasonably, equal employment opportunity is provided, human rights are upheld, employees have access to reasonable avenues of redress, and a career in public service is fostered.

Our work to improve inclusion for all employees will also be advanced by the Equal, Safe and Strong Victoria Police Gender Equality Strategy 2020–2030, through the Equal, Safe and Strong Victoria Police Gender Equality Action Plan 2022–2024 (Equal, Safe and Strong).

Equal, Safe and Strong is driving Victoria Police employee equality by applying an intersectional lens that acknowledges the many different forms of discrimination causing disadvantage, including discrimination encountered by CALD employees.

We review our strategic approach to providing a safe and accessible workplace in response to national and Victorian initiatives and reviews as they occur.