MACMA - meeting highlight 11 December 2025

The new membership of the Minister’s Advisory Council on Multicultural Affairs (MACMA) met for the first time on 11 December 2025 in Darwin.

MACMA was joined by the Hon Jinson Charls MLA, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, to discuss key matters affecting multicultural communities in the NT.

Minister’s update

The minister welcomed members and reiterated the Northern Territory Government’s commitment to support accessibility of services and social inclusion.

The minister also provided updates on key projects led by the Department of People, Sport and Culture (the department) including:

• progress on the consultation for the new multicultural strategy for the NT
• construction of a multicultural centre in Alice Springs
• efforts by the department to investigate sites for a multicultural facility in Katherine.

Multicultural strategy for the NT consultation

The department provided an overview of the key themes raised during the consultations undertaken to develop a multicultural strategy for the NT.

MACMA members were also invited to provide feedback on the strategy by 5 January 2026.

Open discussion

MACMA members were invited to nominate key matters relevant to multicultural communities in the NT that could be explored through working group.

Topics discussed included research and policy, attracting and retaining people in the NT, employment, domestic, family and sexual violence, multicultural health and wellbeing, community safety and discrimination, community and social cohesion, and youth.