Northern Victoria Region
Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (12:48): (85) My question is for the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, and it concerns the need to support the Sikh community in Mildura. It goes without saying that many members of the Sikh faith in Victoria contribute greatly to their local communities, and this certainly is the case in Mildura, where the growing Sikh community are collectively known for their volunteerism and their generosity towards those in need across the region. The Mildura Sikh temple, or gurdwara, as it is correctly known, no longer meets the needs of the local Sikh community, and local leaders have plans to construct a new place of worship that will cater for the growing community. The project has three stages, and plans for the new gurdwara have been approved by the Mildura Rural City Council. The completion of the new temple is estimated to cost approximately $1.2 million, with stage 1 costing $450,000. Will the minister support the members of the Mildura Sikh community and provide $450,000 in funding to complete stage 1 of the construction of the new gurdwara in Mildura?