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Village Response Collective

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14/10/2026

🚨 THIS IS A BIG DEAL FOR OUR PASIFIKA COMMUNITY! 🌺

We’re bringing some very important people to the table this Friday. And when we say VIPs, we mean people who have the ability to influence policies, government priorities and the decisions that affect our communities.

We’re talking representatives from across Victorian Parliament, including Labor, Liberal and the Greens, alongside voices from youth justice, community safety and violence prevention.

People who work in spaces where decisions are made.

And guess who else is on the VIP list? YOU. 🫵🏽

For too long, our Pasifika communities have been contributing to Victoria through our labour, culture, sport, businesses and community work, yet we’ve continued to raise concerns about representation, access to funding and support for our young people.

This Friday, we’re creating an opportunity to bring those concerns AND community-led solutions directly to the table.

This isn’t about one political party. This isn’t about one organisation.

This is about our people, our children and the generations coming after us.

But here’s the thing. Getting decision-makers in the room is one thing. Making sure our community is represented in that conversation is another.

That’s where YOU come in.

📍 Lalaga Le Lā — One Moana Roundtable
📅 Friday 16 October 2026
📍 Wyndham Civic Centre
⏰ 9 AM – 1 PM

🚨 REGISTRATIONS CLOSE TODAY!

Register through the link in our bio.

Because decisions about our community should never happen without our community. 🤎

13/10/2026

Culture. Courage. Community. Creativity. 🌺

We had the privilege of speaking with the powerhouse couple behind Jungli Chilli following the cultural blessing of Anasina Gray-Barberio at Parliament House.

For them, the evening was about more than witnessing a historic moment. It was about what becomes possible when Pacific communities come together with a shared purpose.

One message that stood out was the importance of creating spaces where our cultures are not only celebrated, but where our voices are heard.

Spaces where we can honour where we come from, share our stories and contribute to conversations that shape our communities.

Because representation matters, but so does participation.

Having a seat at the table is significant. Making room for more of our community to be part of the conversation is just as important.

A huge vinaka to the family behind Jungli Chilli for sharing their reflections, their creativity and their commitment to community.

This is the spirit of One Moana. Different islands, different stories, but a shared commitment to ensuring our communities have a voice in decisions that affect them. 🌊

Our collective progress starts with showing up for one another.

13/10/2026

Meet the beautiful Faustina. ❤️🌺

When we asked Faustina what it means to have a Pasifika Member of Parliament, her answer was simple: “It means everything.”

Having someone who looks like us in spaces where policies are created and decisions are made means our community’s concerns have an opportunity to be heard at tables that matter.

When we invited Faustina to be part of Anasina Gray-Barberio’s cultural blessing, we asked her what made her say yes.

She shared that she’d always wanted to know how to get involved, but for so long, politics felt like something that was only for SOME people.

There was no clear pathway into community spaces where voices like hers could be heard, valued and amplified.

And that’s something we want to change.

Community advocacy shouldn’t feel exclusive. You shouldn’t need a title, a political background or connections to have a voice in matters that affect your community.

We know that standing up for something isn’t always easy. It takes courage to show up, to listen, to learn and to be part of conversations that matter.

So today, we want to acknowledge and thank Faustina.

Not only for sharing her talents with the sons and daughters of Samoa, but for showing up to Anasina’s cultural blessing, taking the time to understand the One Moana Action Plan and choosing to be part of something bigger than herself.

Fa’afetai tele lava, Faustina. ❤️

Because community representation doesn’t start and end with the people sitting in Parliament. It also lives in the people willing to show up and use their voices.

12/10/2026

That’s a really good question, and it’s exactly why we’re engaging with a range of ministers, MPs and government representatives, rather than relying on just one person.

Prior to this roundtable, we’ve already had meetings with different government representatives, presented research and made three submissions to the Youth Justice Office. And that work will continue, regardless of who is elected.

The reality is that Pasifika communities contribute so much to this country, yet many of our churches and community organisations are funding vital youth and community programs out of their own pockets, often with very limited resources.

That’s why One Moana exists. We want decision-makers to understand the needs of our communities, recognise the work already being done and see where government support and funding can make a real difference.

This roundtable isn’t a one-off conversation. It’s part of a much bigger movement to build relationships, present evidence and continue advocating for our people.

Governments will change. Ministers will change. But the needs of our communities don’t disappear when someone leaves office.

This isn’t about us. It’s about our children, their children and the generations that come after them. And we’ll continue showing up, having these conversations and making sure our voices are heard. ❤️

12/10/2026

Our community’s experiences need to be heard by the people who shape policy. This Friday, we’re bringing them into the same room.

Lalaga Le La — weaving the sail — a non-partisan roundtable bringing Pasifika community, service providers and government together.

Our VIP guests include YOU, our community members, alongside representatives from the offices of the Ministers for Youth, Youth Justice, and Multicultural and Multifaith, Victoria Police, the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), Coalition representatives, Anasina Gray-Barberio MP from the Greens, and other members of Parliament.

This is a significant opportunity for our Pasifika communities to speak directly with people who can influence policy and help shape change.

We’ll reflect on our youth justice program, hear from mentors and community, and discuss the gaps in services, data and policy affecting our young people. Together, we’ll weave these experiences and ideas into a shared statement to put before government following the election.

Government and parliamentary representatives have been invited to listen. Your lived experience belongs in this conversation.

Bring your concerns, your ideas and your voice. Help shape the direction for our Pasifika communities. 🌊

📍 Wyndham Civic Centre
📅 Friday 16 October
🕘 Doors open 9am | 9:30am–1pm
🥗 Light lunch provided

Everyone is welcome. Register through the link above.

27/09/2026

Imagine having someone in Parliament who looks like you.

Someone who understands what it feels like to grow up as a minority. Someone who understands our communities, our families, our culture and the challenges that can come with navigating systems that weren’t necessarily built with us in mind.

For our Pasifika community, seeing Anasina Gray-Barberio MP become Victoria’s first Pasifika Member of Parliament was significant.

But we also acknowledge what it means to be the first.

Being the first means forging a pathway where there wasn’t one before. It means carrying the weight of representation while continuing to advocate for communities whose voices have too often been overlooked.

And this is exactly why One Moana exists.

Our Pasifika communities in Victoria are growing and thriving, yet there are still significant gaps in how our communities are seen, counted, consulted and supported.

When our people are not accurately represented in the data used to inform government decisions, our needs can become invisible in the policies, programs and funding that follow.

But our communities are not without solutions.

Our churches, community organisations, volunteers, families and grassroots leaders are already doing the work. They know our young people. They understand our culture. They understand what our children need to thrive.

Imagine what could be possible if that community knowledge was met with the right recognition, resources and government support.

That is what One Moana is advocating for.

Not for someone else to come in and “fix” our communities, but for our communities to be seen, heard, accurately represented and supported to lead solutions for our own people.

And as you watch this, the voices you hear in the background are the beautiful sounds of Halo Pasifika a reminder that our voices, our culture and our people deserve to be heard in every room, including the halls of Parliament. 🌺

Because our young people deserve every opportunity to thrive. 🌊

25/09/2026

What a historic moment. 🌺

Last night, our community gathered to offer a cultural blessing over Anasina Gray-Barberio as she prepares to campaign for a second term.

In 2024, Anasina made history as the first person of Pasifika heritage to serve in the Victorian Parliament. And to now stand together, surrounded by our people, our cultures, our prayers, songs and blessings as she enters another campaign was incredibly special.

The audio you hear in this video is live from the performances at last night’s blessing. ❤️

There is something powerful about hearing our languages and our songs inside Parliament House, and seeing our community come together across Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia to mark this moment.

Whatever comes next, seeing Pasifika representation in spaces our communities have historically been absent from is something worth acknowledging.

So proud of our people. So proud of how far we have come. 🌊🤎

A few more moments from a night we won’t forget.

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