Thursday, 28 August 2025

 Anasina GRAY-BARBERIO (Northern Metropolitan) (23:41): (1907) My adjournment matter this evening is for the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, and the action I seek is for the minister to extend the closing date for stage 1 applications for the Indian community centre expression-of-interest project on Melbourne’s west and for the Indian community centre expression-of-interest project for Melbourne’s south-east, which are set to close on 17 September 2025. Minister, we welcome the significance of having dedicated spaces for our diverse multicultural diasporas and recognise how cultural centres like the Indian cultural centres encourage mutual understanding, cultural continuity and a more connected and resilient society. However, members of the Indian community have contacted my office expressing the need for more time to ensure that all eligible organisations have adequate opportunity to prepare the necessary documentation and processes to be fairly considered for shortlisting. As your department understands and recognises, Indian community organisations may be at different stages of community scale, demand and need. Therefore we ask for flexibility to be offered so that all Indian community organisations that would like to be considered in the stage 1 application are offered a fair time to consider all the necessary requirements. Minister, your urgent consideration of this action is important to ensure a fair, just and inclusive process. Therefore I urge you to extend the closing date so all interested applicants are given a genuine and equitable opportunity to participate and be considered.