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Last Updated: Tuesday, 17 June 2025 14:22

Published: Tuesday, 17 June 2025 08:50

Today’s Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) Ordinary Meeting (Tuesday, 17 June) has proved to be transformational as Councillors endorsed the new Intercultural Strategy 2025-2030.

Weaving a Collective Future: Toowoomba Region’s Intercultural Strategy 2025-2030 is Council’s first dedicated document of its kind, reinforcing Council’s commitment to inclusion, social cohesion and community engagement.

Chair of Toowoomba Regional Council’s Multicultural Advisory Committee (MAC) and Community Development, Facilities and Tourism portfolio spokesperson Councillor James O’Shea said the Toowoomba Region will be a welcoming zone for all people in name as well as in action.

“We take great pride in our diversity and this new Strategy will allow us to continue to foster our multicultural community. It has been quite a journey however it is an exciting development for us all. This is another great example of Council working in collaboration with the community,” Cr O’Shea said.   

Cr O’Shea said the new Strategy came at a time when the Region is becoming increasingly more diverse.

“Our Region is now home to more than 24,000 residents who were born overseas. If we want our Region to continue to evolve, we should improve our support services available to culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) residents and build strong intercultural relations, which I’m confident this Strategy will achieve.”

Informing the Intercultural Strategy was a 2023 evidence-based study commissioned by the Council and conducted by the University of Southern Queensland. The research explored the lived experiences, needs and aspirations of CALD residents within the Toowoomba Region.

The findings of the ‘Needs Analysis of Culturally Diverse Communities in the Toowoomba Region: Technical Report’ influenced the four interrelated goals outlined in the Intercultural Strategy including successful transitions and connectedness, cultural awareness and exchange, community engagement and participation and inclusive practice and advocacy.  

TRC released a draft of the Intercultural Strategy back in April, which residents were encouraged to give feedback by completing a Have Your Say online survey. These responses were considered in the final copy of the Intercultural Strategy along with Councillor’s feedback, discussions from community workshops and review of other local, national and international multicultural policies.

“We want the whole community to get behind this Strategy and support it, which is why we ensured the consultation period was extensive,” Cr O’Shea said.

Council has endorsed a staged implementation plan which will guide the rollout of key actions in alignment with Council priorities, community needs and available resources.

To view the Intercultural Strategy, please download the ‘Weaving a Collective Future – Intercultural Strategy 2025-2030’ document on the Multicultural services webpage: Multicultural services