Community leader Harish Velji asks Liberal Members to urge government to reinstate funding to the Multicultural Program.
Reacting to the funding cuts to the Multicultural Program Velji said in an email to The Indian Sun: “These grants have a positive impact on the migrant communities. The Liberal Party talks about diversity — but actions speak louder than words. These grants were not hand-outs… Ask the recipients how important these grants were… They will tell you that without these grants it is difficult for organisations to move forward. Fund raising for new migrants is not easy.
“I hope the community questions the Liberal Party and asks Barry O’ Farrell to make up for the cuts. Has any so-called community leader asked Geoff Lee, member for Parramatta, why he supports the cuts? I am not aware of any community leader asking the Member for Hornsby Matt Keane or the Minister for Citizenship and Communities Victor Dominello for an explanation on this matter.
“Geoff Lee, Matt Keane and Victor Dominello, who profess to represent Indian interests, should fight to have the grants reinstated at the state level having failed to honour at the federal level.
“This is a matter that concerns me as a member of the Indian community, and I speak for the interests of the community,” the email said.
Published in The Indian Sun (Indian Magazine in Australia)
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