VMA: Community Letter from Mr. Bruce Mildenhall

April 9, 2022April 9, 2022

Dear community member,

I write to you about an important matter relating to the Vietnamese Museum Australia (“Museum”).

As you know, the Museum construction has been funded by the Australian federal government and the Victorian state government, with community contributions, to tell the story of the Vietnamese refugees’ flight to freedom and democracy and their successful integration into Australia. It is a story of heroism and achievement in the face of oppression and tragic circumstances.

There has been information circulating in the community that the Museum project is not part of the Vietnamese Australian Community. I want to let you know that our project is run by a board of directors appointed by, and is owned by, the Vietnamese Community of Australia -Victoria (“VCA-Vic”) and the Vietnamese Community of Australia – Federal (“VCA Fed”). The legal structure of the community’s Museum project has been set up specifically to achieve a tax deductible status to benefit the donors from the Vietnamese Australian community and other donors to the project (both during the construction phase and after the Museum has commenced operations) – something the VCA Vic or VCA Fed does not have.

All key decisions affecting the Museum project can be directed by the VCA-Vic and VCA-Fed, as the owners and controllers of the Museum project. The directors of the Museum are appointed by, and can be removed by, the VCA-Vic and VCA Fed. The board of directors of the Museum project are accountable to the VCA-Vic or VCA Fed (as the owners of the Museum). It is clear that the Museum project (and ultimately the Museum itself (including the land and buildings)) are owned, controlled and directed by the Vietnamese community in Victoria and Australia (through the VCA- Vic and VCA Fed).

A team of volunteer board members and volunteer project operations team members have been appointed to implement the Museum project on behalf of the Vietnamese community in Victoria and Australia (through the VCA-Vic and VCA Fed).

The volunteer members of the board of directors are:

Mr Bruce Mildenhall, former Mayor of Footscray, MP for Footscray, Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier, Former senior public servant. Acting Chair of the board of directors
Ms Anne Randall, former Director, Royal Childrens’ Hospital Good Friday Appeal. Director
Dr Cuong Bui, President, Vietnamese Community of Australia Qld Branch. Director
Ms Tuanh Nguyen (LLB (Monash), BCom (Monash), LLM (University of Melbourne)), Corporate lawyer (Director – Legal, PricewaterhouseCoopers). Director & Company Secretary
Mr Loc Lam, B.Bus., Accountant. Director
Ms Kim Bui-Quang, Bachelor of Town and Regional Planning (University of Melbourne), Director

The volunteer members of the Operations Management team are:

Mr Hanh Do: Operations Manager, IT and Policy Lead
Ms Kim Bui-Quang: Deputy Operations Manager, Design and Construction Lead
Mr Andy Tran: PMO Secretary
Mr Loc Lam: Fundraising Lead
Mr Hung Le: Fundraising Coordinator
Ms Diep Nguyen: Content & Collection and Finance Lead
Mr Ryan Johnston: Education and Exhibition Lead
Ms Ha Dieu Ford: Marketing Lead
Ms Tammy Nguyen: Public Relations Lead

The Operations Management team is supported by over 20 team members. Please find attached the Organisation Chart at the end of the letter.

It is the Museum’s ambition to complete the construction, and commence operations, of the Museum on 30 April 2025, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of settlement by Vietnamese refugees in Australia. We hope you can support us on this important community project to preserve the history and legacy of the Vietnamese refugees’ journey to Australia for past, present and future generations of Vietnamese Australians.

For further information on the Museum project, please visit https://www.vietnamesemuseum.com.au/copy-of-learn-more-about-vma or contact us via email at [email protected]

Yours sincerely