There are a few noteworthy pieces of news ahead of the Museum’s opening at noon tomorrow, Saturday, 17 October 2026.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Duy was invited by the Governor of Victoria to attend the 2026 Victorian Multicultural Awards for Excellence the day before yesterday, Wednesday 14 October, at Government House.

The self-proclaimed Executive Committee President Thuy Dang was not present, but Ms. Nguyen Phuong Vy was in attendance and was one of the Vietnamese individuals presented with this excellence award.

Disrespectful invitation style

Ms. Kim Bui-Quang, Director of Design, Construction, and Delivery for the Museum, wrote an invitation addressed to “The President of the Vietnamese Community in Australia – Victoria Chapter, Term September 2022 – September 2026,” but before Mr. Nguyen Quang Duy could respond, they had already rescinded the invitation!

Even if invited, Mr. Duy would not have attended with such a form of address.

One wonders what this “world-class” Museum will display inside in the future to be worthy of being called a Museum that brings pride to the boat people, the anti-communist Vietnamese refugees; however, the disrespectful way of addressing invited guests is not worthy of more than $20 million from taxpayers.

Will the self-proclaimed president Thuy Dang attend?

People are asking whether the Museum invited the “New Executive Committee President” Thuy Dang to attend.

The answer is very simple.

The Museum most likely already invited her, because without the support of Thuy Dang during her one-year mayoral term, how could the Museum have secured the land to build on, to be inaugurated tomorrow? Reciprocity, collaboration, and outreach!

But in what role will the Museum introduce Thuy Dang? Everyone can already guess, and guess correctly. TVTS does not need to state it.

The issue is how the guests and politicians will address her during the ceremony—will they call her Councillor Thuy Dang, or the founder of the AVA dance group, or the “Community Executive Committee President”? This is the issue!

Protest outside the National Ancestor Temple despite not a single person inside. From left: Nguyen The Phong, former Board Chair of the Museum; Le Dinh Anh (from the Civil Society group, formerly opposed to the Museum); self-proclaimed President Thuy Dang (fourth from left); and self-proclaimed Vice President Le Minh (far right). Large photo: about one hundred people along with the 5 individuals in the inset photo demanding that Nguyen Quang Duy hand over office immediately, 23 August 2026. Photo: Trung Le FB

TVTS sends letters to Labor Premier Ben Carroll and Opposition Leader (Liberal) Jess Wilson

For that reason, yesterday, 15 October TVTS sent a letter to Premier Ben Carroll requesting an answer as to why the continuing President Nguyen Quang Duy—whose name is currently on the register of Consumer Affairs Victoria and who holds the Community’s assets and accounts—was not invited to the Labor Government’s roundtable meeting on 28 September 2026.

At the same time, TVTS also asked Premier Carroll whether he agrees with self-proclaimed Vice President of External Affairs Le Minh, who stated that the government recognizes Thuy Dang’s Executive Committee and that leaders said they would not attend events organized by Nguyen Quang Duy? Or was that merely Le Minh’s inference or false information?

Those are the two questions TVTS would like the Premier to answer soon so TVTS can present them to its readers and audience.

Just a few hours later, an advisor to Premier Carroll replied acknowledging receipt of the letter from TVTS, promising to follow up and respond.

Also yesterday, TVTS sent a letter to Opposition Leader Jess Wilson accompanied by several TVTS articles in English online about the long saga of the Vietnamese Museum Australia, as well as the litigation by self-proclaimed president Thuy Dang and the current serious division within the VCA-Vic community related to the Museum affair and the recent Executive Committee election, so that the Liberal Party leader could have more official information from the press.

At the time this article was posted online, TVTS had not yet received a reply from the office of Opposition Leader Jess Wilson.

In the letter, TVTS suggested that politicians should not take sides while legal proceedings are ongoing and should wait for the court’s judgment.

Below is the report that TVTS received from continuing President Nguyen Quang Duy.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Duy at the Victorian Multicultural Awards for Excellence ceremony. Photo supplied.

Vietnamese Community in Australia – Victoria Chapter attends the 2026 Victorian Multicultural Awards for Excellence

On the afternoon of Wednesday, 14 October 2026, the President of the Vietnamese Community in Australia – Victoria Chapter, Mr. Nguyen Quang Duy, attended the Victorian Multicultural Awards for Excellence ceremony at Government House, upon the invitation of the Governor of Victoria, Professor Margaret Gardner AC.

The awards are organized by the Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC), now in its 25th year, to honor individuals and organizations with outstanding contributions to the state’s multicultural society.

At the ceremony, Governor Margaret Gardner and Premier Ben Carroll extended their congratulations to all award recipients and organizations, while acknowledging everyone’s contributions to multicultural society.

Attending the ceremony were Mr. Paul Edbrooke, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, along with several government guests. Representing the opposition was Mr. John Pesutto, on behalf of Opposition Leader Jess Wilson.

A number of Vietnamese individuals honored this year included: Ms. Celia Tran, Ms. Thu-Trang Tran, Mr. Quang Tran, Mr. Phan Bao Tran, and Ms. Vivien Nguyen. In particular, the youth from the Dual Identity Leadership Program were also presented with an award.

After the ceremony, the atmosphere was very lively and joyful. I went to look for the Vietnamese awardees to take commemorative photos and was fortunate to meet the young participants from the Dual Identity Leadership Program.

Nguyen Quang Duy

President, Vietnamese Community in Australia – Victoria Chapter