Canberra Multicultural Service

31/08/2026

Excited…one more time 🤞🤞

Next up in our 2026 CBAA Community Broadcasting Awards finalist announcements is Best Program: New.

Congratulations to our finalists:
GayFL - JOY 94.9
Lingo Lounge - Canberra Multicultural Service
Nowhere Fast - Three D Radio 93.7fm
Path to Stability: Building Housing Security for CALD and Migrant Women - 2MFM
Passing Thoughts - 2RPH
Sonic Youth Group - Vision Australia Radio
This Changes Everything - RTRFM 92.1

Congratulations to all of the finalists!

Coming up at 2pm: Best Program: News & Current Affairs.

23/07/2026

Behind the Voice: Featuring Lavinia Tunitau

When we asked Tongan broadcaster Lavinia Tunitau what she wished more people understood about her community, she didn’t hesitate.

”We are a close-knit community. We stand together through language, through culture, and we help each other.”

Ask her the meaning of tauhi vā, and she’ll tell you it’s about nurturing relationships, caring for one another, and keeping those connections strong.

Through her voice on CMS FM 91.1, Lavinia shares more than music and conversation. She shares the language, values and traditions that continue to unite the Tongan community while enriching Canberra’s multicultural story.

At CMS FM 91.1, every voice has a place. No matter your background, culture or language, we are one community, connected through the stories we share.

Mālō e lelei, Lavinia. Thank you for sharing your voice, your culture, and your heart with the CMS community.

23/07/2026

Behind the Voice: Featuring Lavinia Tunitau

When we asked Tongan broadcaster Lavinia Tunitau what she wished more people understood about her community, she didn’t hesitate.

”We are a close-knit community. We stand together through language, through culture, and we help each other.”

Ask her the meaning of tauhi vā, and she’ll tell you it’s about nurturing relationships, caring for one another, and keeping those connections strong.

Through her voice on CMS FM 91.1, Lavinia shares more than music and conversation. She shares the language, values and traditions that continue to unite the Tongan community while enriching Canberra’s multicultural story.

At CMS FM 91.1, every voice has a place. No matter your background, culture or language, we are one community, connected through the stories we share.

Mālō e lelei, Lavinia. Thank you for sharing your voice, your culture, and your heart with the CMS community.

# TonganCommunity Canberra

20/07/2026

POV: You just wrapped your first studio training session at CMS

That feeling when you’re behind the panel for the first time, headphones on, hands on the desk, and it suddenly clicks.

This is what it’s like to be part of something real.
Our volunteers get hands-on training, real broadcasting experience, and the chance to have their own voice on air. No experience needed, just curiosity and a willingness to learn.

This could be you, our next broadcaster. Come volunteer at CMS!
DM us or email [email protected] to get started.

17/07/2026

Ever wondered what it’s actually like to volunteer with CMS? Here’s everything you get!

We’re not just looking for volunteers, we’re looking for people who want to grow, connect, and make a real difference in their community. And we make sure you get just as much out of it as you put in.

Here’s what’s waiting for you:

1. On-going real life trainings all year round in broadcasting, interviewing, podcasting, digital media and content creation.

2. CMS helps to elevate your career prospects, building valuable skills in communication, leadership, teamwork and public speaking, and from time to time, real job opportunities within CMS.

3. On-going opportunities to participate in national conferences around Australia.

4. Represent CMS at events and have an impact on the community, at places like the National Multicultural Festival and Welcome2Canberra Expo.

5. We compensate your dedication and contribution, because we know your time is valuable.

6. Have your own radio show. Your voice matters.

7. Make a real impact to your community, broadcasting important information and stories to your language community.

8. Build connections with industry, government, and community leaders.

9. Get real experience with professional equipment, producing live radio.

10. Get a community that includes you, part of a welcoming, multicultural broadcasting family.

This isn’t just volunteering. It’s a place to grow, be heard, and belong.

Ready to be part of it? Come volunteer with us today!
Email [email protected] and we’ll take it from there.

15/07/2026

A milestone for women’s safety in Canberra.

Following the release of the ACT Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Strategy 2026–2036, Women’s Health Matters has been funded by the ACT Government to scope a comprehensive, evidence-based primary prevention model for the ACT community.

Primary prevention is about stopping violence before it starts—addressing its root causes through coordinated, long-term action across communities, organisations and government. As the ACT’s peak body for women’s health and wellbeing, Women’s Health Matters is uniquely positioned to lead this important work, bringing specialist expertise, strong community networks and a deep understanding of the local context.

This work also builds on the Victim Survivor Voices project, ensuring the lived and living experiences of victim survivors continue to shape better systems and lasting change for our community.

CMS FM 91.1 stands with Women’s Health Matters and Canberra’s communities in supporting a safer, more inclusive future for everyone.

CommunityRadio

09/07/2026

Meet Zakia Patel — helping newcomers find their place in Canberra.

Starting over in a new city isn’t always easy. Finding the right services, meeting new people, and simply knowing where to begin can feel overwhelming, especially for migrants and newcomers settling into Canberra.

For more than a decade, Zakia Patel has dedicated her life to helping people find connection, belonging and opportunity. A lawyer by training and a community leader by choice, she has worked across youth advocacy, multicultural inclusion, community development and emergency services, always with one goal: ensuring people feel supported, valued and connected.

Today, as Executive Director of Multicultural Hub Canberra & Queanbeyan, Zakia leads initiatives helping migrants, refugees and culturally diverse communities access services, build meaningful connections, and confidently settle into life in the Canberra region. She also volunteers with the NSW State Emergency Service, supporting communities both in everyday life and during times of crisis.

At the Welcome to Canberra Expo, we asked Zakia one simple question:
“What advice would you give someone who’s new to Canberra?”
Her answer reflects the work she’s spent years championing: you don’t have to navigate a new city alone. There are people, organisations and communities ready to help, you simply need to take that first step and reach out.

Hear her full answer in our latest CMS Community Connect video.

CMS Community Connect — celebrating the people who make Canberra feel like home. 🧡
📍 Canberra, ACT
🎙️ CMS FM 91.1 x Multicultural Hub Canberra

06/07/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us in person and online for General Meeting on 27th June.

A quorum was met, and Joyce Yang’s report confirmed one of the strongest years in CMS’s history: record grant funding secured for 2026–27, a growing team, and standout national recognition at the NEMBC Conference including Santhosh’s election as MVA Vice President and Kishor’s award win.

Members also raised an exciting idea during open discussion: a dedicated CMS home in the years ahead.

Looking ahead, planning is already underway for Multicultural Broadcasters’ Night 2026 — stay tuned!

None of it happens without this community. Thank you for being part of it.

19/06/2026

CMS members, partners, and supporters — here's what's next.

Community Multicultural Service FM 91.1 will hold its General Meeting this 27 June, at the Grant Cameron Community Centre, with a hybrid option for members joining online.

The agenda includes reports from our Station Manager, Finance Officer, Technical Officer, and President, a clear look at where CMS stands operationally, financially, and strategically.

This meeting is part of our continued commitment to transparency, sound governance, and community accountability as we keep building a station our community can rely on.

17/06/2026

We’ve been back for a few weeks but the inspiration hasn’t worn off!

From the floor of the NEMBC Conference in Brisbane, here’s what stood out:

1. Touring — 58 languages, a vinyl collection, podcast studio AND an outdoor broadcast van. We were genuinely in awe.
2. The Women’s Networking Session was a highlight — celebrating the strong female representation across multicultural media and the important conversations around leadership and inclusion.
3. Sessions on grants, technology, audience growth and the social value of community broadcasting sent us home with practical tools and fresh ideas.
4. The Gala Dinner — one of our own took home the Excellence in Journalism and Storytelling award. The whole CMS table erupted!

The multicultural broadcasting community is one of the most passionate, driven and diverse groups of people we know — and we are so proud to be part of it.