Amid concerns the community has reached a tipping point, the Andrews government will today launch a new campaign to reframe the debate on multiculturalism in the wake of events such as Brexit, the rise of Donald Trump and the growth of One Nation.

"I see this in part as a struggle between fear and hope," said Multicultural Affairs Minister Robin Scott, who will unveil the strategy with Premier Daniel Andrews on Sunday. "It's important for the future of our community that hope wins."

The campaign begins  on Sunday night with a television ad featuring Victorians from diverse backgrounds, and an underlying message of shared values and common goals.

"No matter where we're from, we all do our bit, making Victoria the best place on earth – so let's be proud of it," says the voiceover.

A $1 million anti-racism action plan has also been developed with a focus on anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. The plan includes:

* New measures to crack down on commuters who racially abuse people on public transport.

* A broad-ranging review to stamp out discrimination and "unconscious bias" against some people who seek approval to rent a home.

* A revamp of the Respectful Relationships school curriculum to teach students about prejudice and discrimination.

* "Bystander awareness training" to help people respond accordingly when they experience or witness racism.

* Tougher complaint mechanisms to ensure the reporting of racism is taken seriously by authorities.

Over the next few months, the government will work with Public Transport Victoria to develop new measures to combat racist incidents on trams, trains and buses, although it is too early to say if this will lead to tougher fines and penalties.

The push to make public transport safer is likely to be welcomed following a number of shocking incidents that have gone viral on social media in recent years. For instance, in May 2015, a 36-year-old man was attacked by tradesmen after he stepped in to defend three Muslim women who were being abused on the Craigieburn train line.

A year earlier, Melbourne man David Graham was jailed for 21 days after a racist tirade against French tourist who was singing with friends on a Melbourne bus. During the attack, Graham had told the girl to "speak English or die" and had threatened to cut her breasts off with a box cutter.

Mr Scott said that while Victoria had a proud history of multiculturalism, recent events had shown there were clearly those "who are seeking to propagate negative views and undermine support for diversity." Therefore, he said, "it's important for those who believe in multiculturalism and diversity to offer a positive set of arguments and ideas."

The government's strategy also includes a Victorian Values Statement, with five shared principles – such as "one law for all" and "freedom to be yourself" – which the minister hopes will spark a broader discussion about society's aspirations.

Dozens of Victorians from different multicultural communities have also been chosen as the ambassadors of the campaign, including Baryalai Rahimi (the owner of a popular Afgan restaurant); Jim Kokkalos (an SES volunteer of more than 30 years); and Eugene Ek (a Malaysian-born orthopaedic surgeon).

The anti-racism push comes amid research showing there are troubling levels of discrimination in the community – and particularly hostile attitudes towards Islam and Muslims. One of those studies, a University of South Australia survey of 1000 people, recently found 70 per cent of Australians had low levels of Islamophobia, 20 per cent were undecided and 10 per cent were classed as "highly Islamophobic".