Developing the strategy

Focus groups were held with community members representing city workers, residents, students, and a diversity of culture, religion, ability, gender and sexuality, including:

  • twelve focus groups with city residents, workers and visitors
  • four in-depth interviews with city residents, workers and visitors
  • five workshops with community organisations and individual stakeholders
  • two Inclusive Recovery Workshops with industry, government and community stakeholders.

Traditional Owner groups were also engaged in accordance with Council’s Aboriginal Community Engagement Protocol and targeted key stakeholder organisations including Council to Homeless Persons, Council of International Students Australia, Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission and VicPride. Community leaders and representatives from Council’s Advisory Committees and others with lived experience of exclusion have also been consulted.

The strategy will support the Affordable Housing Strategy 2030 and Economic Development Strategy and provide an overarching framework for existing and developing plans including: Melbourne a Great Place to Age and the Disability Access and Inclusion Plan.

The strategy is also informed by engagement already completed on the Community Vision and Council Plan 2021-25 including the Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan.

Recognising that groups of people within the community experience persistent barriers to equal participation, this strategy amplifies the voices of Aboriginal peoples, LGBTIQA+, young people, older people, women, people with a disability, culturally and linguistically diverse people, international students and people experiencing poverty and homelessness.

Melbourne has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and it continues to have profound economic, social and wellbeing impacts on our community, exacerbating existing inequalities and disproportionately affecting disadvantaged communities. Investing in economic reactivation and recovery is essential. We have the opportunity to do this in a way that ensures that no community is left behind and that we are building towards a more sustainable and just recovery.

Vision for the strategy

Our city is where people of all cultures, backgrounds, ages, genders, sexualities and abilities are welcomed, celebrated and protected. We are proud of the vibrancy this diversity brings to every aspect of city life. Our urban communities are energy-efficient, sustainable, safe, affordable and inclusive, drawing people from around the world to visit, work and live.

Priorities of the strategy

Our three overarching priorities have corresponding outcomes and evaluation measures. Monitoring and evaluating our performance against our priorities will be ongoing.

Organisation, services, programs & places for all

Sustainable and fair recovery

Empowered, participatory communities

Next steps

Share your feedback on the draft Inclusive Melbourne Strategy via the online survey.

Feedback will be used to develop the final strategy, which will be presented to the Future Melbourne Committee for consideration on 7 December 2021.

Inclusive Melbourne Strategy