Media Statement from Inga Peulich

Former Victorian Liberal Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs

14 December 2018

The election of twenty-five percent of the Victorian Upper House MPs from micro parties, with micro votes, has ended the parliamentary journey of Bosnian-born Inga Peulich in her role as the Victorian Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Member for the South East Metropolitan Region.

Ms Peulich’s 22-year parliamentary career and 4 years as the Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs ended with the Liberal Democrats winning the 5th position in the South Eastern Metropolitan Region on a primary vote of only 0.84%.

“I have indeed had the great honour of serving the Parliament, the South East and our multicultural communities as a Liberal MP and retain an unwavering belief and optimism in the future of our nation,” Ms Peulich said.

“I would like to extend my thanks to the many organisations, leaders and proud Australians in our multicultural community of Victoria for their friendship and support throughout my term as the Victorian Liberal Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs.”

In congratulating the new Minister for Multicultural Affairs, the Hon Richard Wynne, Mrs Peulich said she hoped that he could help build a greater sense of belonging and opportunity for our culturally, linguistically and religiously diverse communities, and retain a level of bipartisanship which has frayed over recent years.

“The challenge for the Victorian Labor Government and a complex mix of agenda’s among the new MPs elected to our parliament is to accept that without religious freedom, there is no democracy or real multiculturalism and that Victorians who hold traditional values or conservative political views are entitled to hold them and live by them within the broad framework of our laws,” Ms Peulich said.