Wednesday, 3 May 2023

Melton multicultural community

Joe McCRACKEN (Western Victoria) (09:48): I recently had the pleasure of meeting two very important community leaders in the Melton area. Mr Melvin Mata, a leader in the Filipino community, is a very active and engaged man. He cares deeply about his community and improving the lives of locals. I would like to acknowledge him as a man of integrity who works hard to ensure local Filipino communities’ concerns are heard at every level of government. I look forward to working with Melvin in the future. He is an outstanding man, and he has got great prospects.

Mr Chander Sharma, a member of the local Indian community in Melton, is also a very caring, active and engaged man. When I met with Chander and his family I was touched by his commitment, his care for his local community and his love of family and spirituality. Chander is making a great contribution to the community of Melton, and I would like to acknowledge his dedication as a wonderful individual who makes a massive contribution.

The importance of our multicultural communities cannot be understated. I recently attended a citizenship ceremony for the City of Melton, and my message to the new citizens was this: you are welcome, you are respected and we love that you have chosen our community to build your future in.