Australia is stepping into 2026 with a clear message from Canberra: multiculturalism is not an optional extra, but central to who the country is and how it will succeed in the years ahead.

Queensland’s property market has entered a phase that even seasoned analysts describe as unsustainable great for those already on the ladder, punishing for everyone else. Brisbane’s meteoric rise now places it among the country’s least affordable capitals, while regional centres from Toowoomba to the Granite Belt are being dragged into the same affordability crisis once associated mainly with Sydney and Melbourne.​

For more than 25 years, Officer-based community leader Sukhvinder “Sunny” Duggal has been quietly mobilising multicultural volunteers, faith communities and local partners to deliver food, essentials and hope to Victorians in crisis – from Black Summer bushfires to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing cost-of-living squeeze.​

A Facebook fan group and a wave of TikTok reviews are turning Vietnamese bakeries from Sydney to Brisbane into viral destinations – and showcasing the power of multicultural small business in shaping Australia’s everyday food culture.​