Page 772 - Week 02 - Thursday, 23 February 2012
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She is president of the Canberra Mothercraft Society, a member of the Transformation of Perception (reducing stigma) community education program advisory group, vice-chair of the Diversity Health Network management committee, member of the Breast Screening ACT Management Advisory Committee, and adviser to Multicultural Women’s Advocacy Inc, including the facilitator of the ACT CALD Women’s Network. If she has any spare time, I do not know where she finds it.
Another award, the multicultural award in media, went to Radio 1 CMS and the Ethnic Broadcasters Council of the ACT and Surrounding Districts Inc. They provide services to 36 multicultural communities in the ACT and work with the community sector in providing community information and programs. The multicultural award for a community organisation went to the Canberra Multicultural Community Forum, proudly and aptly headed up by Sam Wong, who has been mentioned here today.
Just last night during the dinner break I travelled down to the Tuggeranong arts centre where we launched the South Asian Film Festival for another year. That is where we have the communities of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh coming together. They will run a film festival over the next week or so. I think the film last night was Apple tree of paradise, but I could have that wrong.
The festival is just getting stronger and stronger every year with very strong community input. I am very proud to stand up in this place and formally acknowledge the major contribution that our multicultural community has made and continues to make to the ACT. It has played a major role in the development of this city, and I thank members of the multicultural community personally for their contribution.
MS BRESNAN (Brindabella) (3.35): I thank Mrs Dunne for bringing forward this MPI today. Ms Burch listed all of the committees that Chin Wong is on. I have often wondered when she sleeps. I have actually said that to her, because she is so involved in so many things, which is quite amazing.
I am very pleased to have the opportunity to talk about the importance of the multicultural community in the ACT. As with all cities in Australia, there has been a long and significant contribution by various cultures to the development and evolution of Canberra over the years. That has already been mentioned by Mrs Dunne and Ms Burch today.
The 2006 census showed that 21.7 per cent of Canberra’s population were born overseas, which is significant. Perhaps the largest notable wave of non-British migrants to Canberra was from Greece, which was an integral part of establishing our now flourishing commercial centres. There are many third generation Canberrans who now run the same supermarkets, cafes and shopping centres as their grandparents did. This role in the establishment of various parts of Canberra is now reflected in some of the heritage signage, such as at Gus’s cafe in Civic and at Ainslie shops. I would also like to acknowledge here Viola Kolakouinos, who is truly the matriarch of the Curtin shops and an absolutely wonderful woman.
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