Members statements
Victorian Jewish community
Ryan BATCHELOR (Southern Metropolitan) (09:48): I have spoken before in this place about the importance of cultural diversity and inclusion in this state. It does not matter where you are from, what you look like, what you believe or what language you speak, in Victoria we are proud of our cultural diversity. So I am pleased to see the Andrews Labor government commit once again to supporting and providing funding for our local Jewish communities, particularly in the Southern Metropolitan Region. We are funding a statewide antisemitism campaign, because bigotry and hate have no place in this state. We are creating a Jewish community safety infrastructure fund to build, upgrade and renovate spaces where people can come together to celebrate and share in culture and tradition, building on our commitment to provide extra support for the Community Security Group, which plays an important role in safety and security in the Jewish community in Victoria.
Last week I visited the Caulfield Shule with the Minister for Multicultural Affairs. The Caulfield Shule is an important place for the local Jewish congregation, and it was great to walk around the site, talk with rabbis and other community leaders and learn about the history and heritage of the Jewish community in Caulfield, including seeing the Torah scrolls that are kept within the synagogue. We ran into a local playgroup that also meets at the synagogue, and the parents and bubs were having a great time. The Jewish community has a long, proud history here in Victoria, and I am pleased to see the Andrews Labor government continuing to support their culture and tradition.