Multicultural Women Hustling in Politics (WHIP): Community Info Session — Power in Practice Program

Multicultural WHIP: Community Info Session — Power in Practice Program

Australia's only political home for multicultural women. Find out if it's yours.

The halls of power in Australia don't look like us.

Not in our parliaments. Not in our councils. Not in the rooms where the decisions that shape our communities are made.

That's not a pipeline problem. That's an infrastructure problem. And MULTICULTURAL WHIP is the infrastructure.

Join us on Thursday 30 April at 7pm for our national Community Info Session — a free recorded online event where we pull back the curtain on the MULTICULTURAL WHIP network, our Power in Practice program, and what membership actually gives you.

This is not a networking night. This is not a panel of inspiring women telling you to dream bigger.

This is the honest, practical conversation about what it takes for multicultural women to move through Australian political life — and how MULTICULTURAL WHIP equips you to do it.

WHO IS MULTICULTURAL WHIP?

Brought to you by COMPELL, Multicultural WHIP — Women Hustling in Politics is Australia's only women-only political membership network backed by a national multicultural peak body, Allies in Colour.

We are built on bespoke research data. The only organisation in Australia that has mapped, in detail, the specific barriers multicultural women face in civic and political life here. We don't operate on assumptions about what you need. We operate on evidence — your community's evidence.

We combine political candidate training with civic leadership development. And we do it exclusively for multicultural women, because the barriers we face are compounded — by gender and by culture — and a generic program was never going to fix a specific problem.

WHAT IS POWER IN PRACTICE PROGRAM?

Power in Practice is MULTICULTURAL WHIP's flagship political candidate training program.

Not inspiration. Not vision boards. The real, substantive grounding in how Australian political systems actually work from the inside — who holds power, how decisions are made, how to build the relationships and institutional literacy that let you move in these spaces with confidence and credibility.

Because knowing that representation matters isn't the same as knowing how to get there. Power in Practice is the roadmap.

WHAT HAPPENS AT THE INFO SESSION?

Our Keynote Speaker - Senator Mehreen Faruqi | Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens

Senator Mehreen Faruqi is a trailblazer and absolute baddie in Australian politics and a fierce advocate for social, environmental, and racial justice. In 2013, she became the first Muslim woman to be elected to any Australian Parliament, and in 2018, she made history again as the first Muslim woman to serve in the Australian Senate.

With a background as a distinguished engineer and academic, Mehreen brings a "systems-thinking" approach to dismantling structural inequality. As Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens, she has been a tireless voice for multicultural communities, consistently challenging the status quo to ensure that those at the margins are moved to the center of decision-making. A lifelong "hustler" for change, Mehreen’s career is a masterclass in how multicultural women can navigate, challenge, and ultimately lead within Australia’s political machinery.

Our Special Guest Speaker - Elizabeth Lee MLA | Member for Kurrajong, ACT

Elizabeth Lee is a trailblazer in Australian politics, making history in 2020 as the first East Asian-Australian to lead a major political party in this country. A former lawyer and university lecturer, Elizabeth’s path to the leadership of the Canberra Liberals is a masterclass in professional excellence and institutional navigation.

Elected to the ACT Legislative Assembly in 2016, Elizabeth has consistently broken barriers, bringing a sharp legal mind and a commitment to genuine community representation to her various Shadow Ministerial portfolios. As a woman who built her own roadmap in a system not originally designed for diverse voices, Elizabeth serves as a living template for the next generation of multicultural leaders.

At our National Launch, Elizabeth will share her "Power in Practice" insights, providing our cohort with the blueprints for navigating, challenging, and leading within the Australian political landscape.

Our Special Guest Speaker - Moira Deeming MP | Member for Western Metropolitan, VIC

Moira Deeming is a Member of the Victorian Parliament representing the Western Metropolitan Region. A former educator, her entry into state politics was driven by a focus on the creation of high-standard public policy and ensuring that legislative outcomes are grounded in rigorous evidence.

In a political landscape where representation is often discussed but power is rarely shared, Moira has emerged as a distinct voice for leadership that prioritises transparency and direct accountability to the community.

At this free, recorded event, you'll hear directly from the MULTICULTURAL WHIP team:

• What MULTICULTURAL WHIP is — and what makes it genuinely different from anything else in Australia

• What Power in Practice covers and how it works

• What the MULTICULTURAL WHIP membership gives you — the network, the programs, the advisory role, the access

• How you can be a part of the women's public policy team.

• All your questions answered — this is a conversation, not a broadcast

Whether you're curious about political candidacy, want to deepen your civic literacy, or simply want to be part of a serious national network of multicultural women who get it — this is the night to find out if MULTICULTURAL WHIP is your next move.

WHO IS THIS FOR?

This info session is for you if:

• You're a multicultural woman in Australia who cares about politics — as a voter, a future candidate, a community leader, or someone who simply knows representation matters. Non-citizens are most welcome.

• You attended one of our IWD dinners in Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane — and you're ready for the next step

• You've been looking for a political space that doesn't ask you to leave part of your identity at the door

• You want to understand how power actually works in this country — and how to build yours

You do not need to want to run for office to belong here. You need to believe that multicultural women deserve a seat at the table — and be ready to do something about it. You do not need citizenship to join us. We welcome all women!

THE MULTICULTURAL WHIP TEAM:

Tharini Rouwette - CEO, COMPELL

Tharini Rouwette is a systems architect, political strategist, and the CEO of COMPELL. She is the lead visionary behind the Road to Parliament Academy and the architect of Australia’s National Civic Capability Infrastructure.

Recognized for her work in resolving the structural “systems failure” within Australian democracy, Tharini specialises in building the pathways that translate diverse lived experience into institutional decision-making power.

As an institutional advisor, Tharini operates at the intersection of policy and practice. She serves as a strategic advisor to political candidates and consults with elected representatives to enhance institutional engagement and long-term intercultural cohesion.

Dr Heena Sinha-Cheung - Head of Power in Practice Program

Heena’s advocacy is driven by a simple belief: representation matters, but capability changes systems.From early life challenges to national leadership, Heena has built a career focused on turning lived experience into lasting impact. Today, as VP of the Communities’ Council on Ethnic Issues (CCOEI) Victoria, she brings the voices of diverse communities into policy conversations and institutional decision-making.

Her experience as a former Independent Senate Candidate for Victoria informs her current role as Head of the Power in Practice Program for Multicultural WHIP. Through this program, she supports multicultural women to navigate the realities of political leadership — building visibility, resilience, and the practical skills needed to influence systems from within.

Fiorenza Provenzano - Head of Growth and Institutional Alliances

Fiorenza is a legal professional at Deloitte Australia, co-Lead of the Deloitte Foundation Brisbane, Vice-President of UNAA Young Professionals (and President of the QLD chapter), and co-founder of the charity Serve the City Australia..

Recognised as a Brisbane 40 Under 40 Award recipient (2025) and as part of International Women’s Day Multicultural Women of Influence 2026 in the category Community Changemaker, Fiorenza is driven by strengthening communities, enabling collaboration and creating environments where people feel valued, protected and empowered.