Page 2417 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 22 August 2006
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and that is fighting within itself. The government had to find another way to fund that organisation.
The multicultural summit and ministerial forums provided a solution to that problem—project funding. So we are not throwing money at a peak group that can be distributed any way that it likes. We went to the communities and said, “What is it that you want us to do?” The government is allocating exactly the same amount of funding. For the information of Dr Foskey, the strategy will comprise seven different projects. I apologise for not knowing those seven off the top of my head, but I know that they include older people, women and young people. Specific projects will centre on those topics and inform the government and the community where we are at, where we should be headed, where services are lacking and what can be done about them.
Dr Foskey referred earlier to the voices of young people not being heard. When we are dealing with multicultural groups we have to be ever conscious about succession planning. We must ensure that the leaders of today are replaced with leaders in the future otherwise their groups will die. Many of these groups are structured on a particular type of hierarchy and it matters not whether it is a chief, elders, or other people of significance.
If multicultural communities are not mentoring young people, in particular young women, to take over leadership roles, those communities will wither and die. We are focusing on that aspect in particular. The other day, when I was speaking to representatives from those 30 groups, I said I was committed to focusing on that aspect. I am grateful for the support of some members to extend to December the date for the delivery of our strategy. I hope I receive the support of all members in this place.
I do not believe that the multicultural affairs portfolio is an appropriate arena for partisan politics. If people want to have a fight with me I have plenty of other portfolios in which they can do so, but multicultural affairs is not the appropriate arena. We are talking about the lives of real people. Dr Foskey put her finger on it quite well by stating that the ACT has the most effective multicultural society in Australia. If we bring politics into this area it will be destroyed and we cannot afford to do that.
I want to refer to the forums with which I have engaged. I met with the Muslim Advisory Council and talked about a number of issues facing that community. I spoke to the council about some of the not so pleasant things in the national action plan that will affect the Muslim community. I asked the Muslim Advisory Council to expand its membership because it is comprised mostly of males and Diana Abdul Rahman. I asked it to include another four people, two women and two young people, because I want a balance. I want gender and age equity otherwise I will not receive advice from that group on succession planning.
I have not proceeded, and nor will I, with the Ministerial Council on Multicultural Affairs. I have explained in this place before that the Chief Minister appointed that body. When I received responsibility for the multicultural portfolio I chose not to proceed with that body. I do not want to appoint somebody to give me advice; I want the communities to do that themselves. I am prepared to meet with those communities. At the forum that was held the other night—the seventh such forum—we canvassed the very issues raised earlier by Mr Pratt and Dr Foskey.
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