New advisory committee to focus on multiculturalism
30 May 2025
Ipswich – home to migrants from 163 different countries – will have a new Multicultural Advisory Committee, established after a unanimous vote at the most recent Ordinary Council Meeting.
Ipswich City Council Community and Sport Committee Chairperson Councillor Jacob Madsen said the new committee will be chaired by Councillor Pye Augustine, the first councillor in Ipswich’s history of African heritage.
“Ipswich is home to an increasingly diverse population. The city currently has more than 22,000 residents who speak a language other than English and is home to migrants from 163 countries of origin and over 152 different languages,” Cr Madsen said.
“Diversity and multiculturalism are part of our identity as a city. It is one of our greatest strengths, socially and economically, and sits at the heart of who we are and why Ipswich is such a welcoming and inclusive community.
“Currently, Ipswich City Council does great work in this space through our Community Development branch but will use this mechanism to engage with community and reflect on whether new opportunities exist.”
The advisory committee was established following a Notice of Motion from Cr Augustine and will at this stage operate for an initial period of six months and will report to the Community and Sport Committee of Ipswich City Council.
“While multiculturalism is a consideration in many of the things we do as a council, the advisory committee will likely bring forward for discussion the many initiatives, projects and support services we offer in this space, and encourage further conversations about community feedback on how council engages with multiculturalism and offer opportunities for community members to offer suggestions for improvement,” Cr Madsen said.
In endorsing the committee’s establishment, Councillors also agreed that council acknowledge and continue to support the work of the existing group that Council operates with support from Multicultural Australia (as co-secretariat) via the Ipswich Multicultural Community Leaders Network to promote and support diversity and multiculturalism in Ipswich.
Council’s engagement with First Nations people will continue to occur as per the City of Ipswich Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander engagement guide, which was adopted in 2024, and the Ipswich City Council Indigenous Accord, which was adopted in 2020.
Cr Madsen will serve as deputy chairperson of the new Multicultural Advisory Committee, with Crs Andrew Antoniolli, Marnie Doyle and David Martin joining as members.