Department of Home Affairs – Community Engagement Newsletter: 26 June 2026 [SEC=OFFICIAL]

Community Engagement Newsletter – 26 June 2026
Dear community representatives,
Thank you for your ongoing support and contributions to the community. The CLO Network has collated the following newsletter of important information from across the Australian Government that may be of interest to yourself and members of your community. Please feel free to forward this newsletter, or any of its sections, to members of your community.
In this fortnight’s edition, you can find information on the following:
- Pacific Engagement Stream Visa (PEV) ballot 2026-27
- Staying Safe with AusAlert
- Nominations for the 2027 Australian of the Year Awards are now open
- Services Australia – New Factsheets for Family Tax Benefit
- eSafety Commissioner – Resources & Webinar
- Home Affairs 2026 Calendar of Cultural and Religious Dates
- Useful information in your language
- Contact us
Socceroos Multiculturalism Message

The Socceroos have released a message celebrating Australian multiculturalism ahead of their FIFA World Cup campaign.
The squad features players of South Sudanese, Dutch, Italian, Sri Lankan, Burundian and Scottish backgrounds, among many others.
The message, delivered by 20 members of Australia’s FIFA World Cup squad, shines a light on the diversity of the team representing Australia on the global stage. To view the squad’s message, please visit the
All Socceroos matches can be viewed live on the SBS. Please visit the SBS website to view the full schedule of Socceroos games:
FIFA World Cup Fixtures | SBS FIFA World Cup 2026™
Pacific Engagement Stream Visa (PEV) ballot 2026-27

Australia’s Pacific Engagement stream visa (PEV) ballot for 2026-27 opens on 1 July 2026 and closes on 29 July 2026. This is a new ballot and registrations from previous ballots are not included in this draw.
To be able to apply for a PEV, you must:
Register in the PEV ballot.
If you are then selected in the ballot, you’ll be invited to apply for a visa.
People of all skill levels, genders and occupations from the following countries can enter the ballot: Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, Tonga and Tuvalu.
To learn more about the PEV ballot for 2026-27, please visit
Pacific Engagement visa (subclass 192) – Pacific Engagement stream
Staying Safe with AusAlert

On Monday 27 July 2026, a message will be sent to all mobile devices across Australia as part of a nation-wide test of AusAlert, Australia’s new emergency management system.
The AusAlert message may increase risk for people experiencing violence, especially if they live with someone who uses violence as alerts may expose safety devices. This page has guidance on how to stay safe during testing, in-language resources and social media tiles:
Staying safe with AusAlert | ausalert
This fact sheet outlines steps for individuals to manage safety devices during the test by providing a step-by-step guide. For further information about AusAlert and the upcoming national test, please visit
Nominations for the 2027 Australian of the Year Awards are now open

The Australian of the Year Awards recognise extraordinary Australians who go above and beyond for the benefit of others.
With the simple act of nominating, you can spotlight the unsung heroes among us – individuals whose dedication, achievements and spirit of service can inspire us all. There are numerous categories that individuals can be nominated for, including Senior and Young Australian of the Year, along with Australia’s Local Hero for those who make a noted impact within their community.
See them. Hear them. Nominate them.
Nominations for the 2027 Australian of the Year Awards close Friday 31 July 2026. To nominate your Australian of the Year, and for more information, please visit
Services Australia – New Factsheets for Family Tax Benefit

Services Australia have published new materials for multicultural communities, including a new translated factsheet about ‘How child support affects your Family Tax Benefit’.
The factsheet has information about what child support is, how it can affect Family Tax Benefit, how to apply for child support and if they cannot ask for child support. It’s available in 20 languages and can be found at
How child support affects your Family Tax Benefit – Information in your language – Services Australia or by searching QC 84232 on the Services Australia website.
eSafety Commissioner – Resources & Webinar

The eSafety Commissioner website has a number of resources which are available for culturally and linguistically diverse communities, including translated materials, to ensure that your community can remain safe while online.
The eSafety website contains a number of translated webpages, factsheets and resources on topics including serious online abuse, the role of technology in abusive relationships and the Online Safety Act, among others.
This website also contains information and steps on how to report harmful materials and dangerous content.
To access these resources to keep yourself, and your community, safe online please visit
Culturally and linguistically diverse | eSafety Commissioner
For parents and carers, eSafety will also be hosting free webinars online on a range of topics to help you keep your children safe online. For a full list of topics and the comprehensive schedule, please visit
Webinars for parents and carers | eSafety Commissioner
Home Affairs 2026 Calendar of Cultural and Religious Dates

The Department of Home Affairs maintains a Calendar of significant cultural and religious dates for 2026. This calendar is a guide intended to foster greater awareness and appreciation for the vibrant tapestry of cultural and religious traditions that are a part of Australian life.
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of these dates. It is important to note however, that many religious and cultural observances vary according to cultural and religious customs and may fall on a different date than is presented here.
This calendar can be translated into 12 languages. To learn more about important dates and celebrations for communities across Australia, please visit the
2026 Calendar of cultural and religious dates
If you notice a significant cultural event is not currently featured on our website, please contact the Community Engagement Team so it can be reviewed for inclusion.
Useful information in your language

Australian Citizenship test resource booklet
Australian Values – Life in Australia booklet
Domestic/family violence and your visa*
Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP)
Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation*
eSafety Commissioner – be safe online
Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC)*
Australian Electoral Commission
^ Image credit: Fair Work Ombudsman
* Translated resources are via an On Demand Web Translation tool on the relevant website listed above, usually at the top or the side of the screen.
Contact us
Your feedback is vital to the Department and informs policy, decision making and government messaging. We welcome engagement and encourage you to contact us by phone or by emailing us with questions or feedback about community concerns, government messaging, community misconceptions issues such as racism and discrimination.
Feel free to share this email with others, but in the interests of ensuring the information remains accurate, please do not make any alterations to the content.
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