South East Queensland’s vibrant multicultural community have had their voices heard following a successful roundtable hosted by Federal Member for Blair Shayne Neumann and Assistant Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Julian Hill in Springfield.
Around 30 multicultural community leaders attended the event at the Brisbane Lions’ Brighton Homes Arena, alongside representatives of Multicultural Australia and the Brisbane Lions.
Major themes included social cohesion, humanitarian visas, housing and employment access for migrants, and the need for more community infrastructure, such as a proposed “India House” community centre in Greater Springfield.
Federal Member for Blair Shayne Neumann said Australia was one of the most successful multicultural societies in the world and migration has been one of our greatest nation-building tools.
“Locally, the Ipswich and Springfield area is the one of fastest-growing regions in Australia, and it’s an increasingly diverse one,” Mr Neumann said.
“Multicultural communities are making a fantastic contribution to the social fabric of the Ipswich region, across a range of areas, including education, sport, business and culture.”
Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship Julian Hill said the Albanese Labor Government was committed to supporting Ipswich and Springfield’s multicultural communities at a grassroots level.
“It was excellent to join my good friend Shayne Neumann in a frank and open discussion about the needs and concerns of South East Queensland’s multicultural community,” Assistant Minister Hill said.
“Being ethnically and religiously diverse is not the same as being a successful multicultural society. Success requires deliberate government policy, targeted investments and strong leadership.
“I am proud to be part of a government that stands up for all Australians, instead of seeking to divide communities for political advantage.”
Multicultural Australia CEO Christine Castley said the roundtable was a wonderful opportunity to hear directly from community leaders about the challenges and successes they’re experiencing.
“At Multicultural Australia, we are committed to fostering connections that empower migrants and refugees to thrive. This event highlighted the importance of collaboration between government, community leaders and organisations like ours to ensure everyone feels supported and valued in our society,” Ms Castley said.
Assistant Minister Hill acknowledged the community’s request for more shared community facilities and said the Government was happy to support good proposals, but ideally these needed to have the support of state and local governments, and the wider community.
“Multicultural Australia’s community hub at Brighton Homes Arena in partnership with the Brisbane Lions, is a fantastic example of a shared space that helps refugees and migrants access services, and engage with the local community.
“Multicultural Australia’s program to get young migrants into work at the Arena’s café is a clear example of how partnerships between different communities can benefit everyone.”
Mr Neumann thanked Multicultural Australia and the Brisbane Lions for helping to facilitate the event, and expressed his appreciation to the participants for a productive discussion.
“I thank all of the multicultural leaders who attended the roundtable for their ideas and their work, and I look forward to continuing to work with them to support our local community.”
