Allies in Colour is exposing the political tokenism dominating migrant outreach this election — and calling for a shift from symbolic gestures to systemic change.
While some political parties fund temples and curry nights, voters are asking: Where is the investment in civic leadership, political literacy, or power-building for multicultural communities?
Empty rhetoric or systemic change?
From values tests to refugee bans to targeting migrants in housing debates, the 2025 election cycle has seen multicultural communities repeatedly politicised and blamed — but rarely consulted or empowered.
“There is a difference between multiculturalism as branding, and multiculturalism as power. Right now, our political system confuses the two,” said Tharini Rouwette, founder of Allies in Colour
Read our full press release in the PDF embedded below:
Text Format:
Multicultural Voters Deserve Power, Not Performative Politics
Melbourne, Australia – Apr 23, 2025 – With just under two weeks to go before the 2025 federal election, Allies in Colour is sounding the alarm on the gap between how multicultural communities are treated during election campaigns — and how little power they hold between them.
From promises of cultural grants to photo ops in temples and mosques, election season has once again reduced migrant communities to stage props, not power players.
“We are not here to be ‘included’ once every three years — we are here to lead, to decide, and to shape the future of this country,” said Allies in Colour founder Tharini Rouwette.
Misaligned Investment – Missed Opportunities
Election grants continue to prioritise cultural “showpieces” over systemic change. In recent years, government investment has favoured large infrastructure grants to faith-based institutions — yet there remains a lack of equivalent investment in voter education, community organising, or civic leadership for emerging migrant communities.
“This funding model assumes we are only cultural, not political beings,” Rouwette said. “It’s a shallow view of multiculturalism — one that doesn’t build power.”
The Diversity Paradox: High Visibility, Low Agency
Australia’s most diverse seats — including Fowler, NSW, Calwell, VIC, and McMahon, NSW — are home to high migrant populations, yet voters continue to face:
- High informal voting rates due to language and access barriers.
- Under-representation in policy influence and advisory roles.
- Cultural stereotyping and scapegoating in national political narratives.
Even in electorates like Fowler, where Dai Le made history in 2022 as the first Vietnamese-born MP in federal parliament, migrant communities remain systemically under-powered.
Empty Rhetoric or Systemic Change?
From values tests to refugee bans to targeting migrants in housing debates, the 2025 election cycle has seen multicultural communities repeatedly politicised and blamed — but rarely consulted or empowered.
“There is a difference between multiculturalism as branding, and multiculturalism as power. Right now, our political system confuses the two,” said Rouwette.
Our Message to Media and Politicians
Allies in Colour is calling on political parties, political candidates and media to:
- Stop treating multicultural voters as a monolith.
- Move beyond token representation and symbolic investment.
- Acknowledge the diversity of needs, languages, and perspectives across culturally diverse electorates.
“We want real accountability. Not curry nights, not ceremonial grants, and not box-ticking diversity. The communities we speak for are watching — and voting,” said Rouwette.
About Allies in Colour
Allies in Colour is an independent, data-driven voice for multicultural Australia. We advocate boldly for genuine representation, transparent governance, and long-term investment in diverse leadership.
End
For media inquiries, please contact:
Tharini Rouwette
CEO, Founder
ALLIES IN COLOUR
tharini@alliesincolour.com
Embedded PDF:
🎧 Dr Sukhmani Khorana, Associate Professor at UNSW and Dai Le, MP for Fowler, were recently interviewed for a podcast by SBS Australia where they discussed some of the issues raised in the media release.
You can listen to the full episode here:
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