Mr George Lekakis has been the Chairperson of the Victorian Multicultural Commission since 2001. He is an experienced advocate for ethnic, religious and multicultural communities at the local, state and national levels; as illustrated by his tenures as both the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of Victoria’s peak multicultural umbrella organisation, the Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria (ECCV), and also as Deputy Chairperson of the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA).
Prior to taking up the role of Chairperson of the Commission, Commissioner Lekakis was the Director of the South Central Region Migrant Resource Centre and the New Hope Foundation (between 1989 and 2001).
He has served on many government and community-based boards and committees of management, including the Victorian Industrial Relations Taskforce, the Community Support Fund Advisory Council, the Workforce Participation Program Advisory Committee and has also served as a member of the Social Security Appeals Tribunal.
His current roles also include co-chairing the Police and Community Multicultural Advisory Committee (PACMAC) as well as being represented on Future Melbourne Leaders, Multicultural Arts Policy Advisory Committee, Centre for Dialogue Advisory Board and the Ministerial Advisory Council on Languages ESL and Multicultural Education.