Continuing the round of community consultations, the new leadership team at the Community Relations Commission, the Chair, Vic Alhadeff, and Chief Executive Officer, Hakan Harman, met with a broad cross section of the Indian community of New South Wales recently.
Mr Alhadeff told the gathering: “Indian immigrants have made a massive impact in just a few decades in New South Wales and are already finding positions of power and authority throughout our society. Progress through the political layers for Australians of Indian ancestry is assured in the years ahead.”
Mr Alhadeff said Commission felt that the Indian community was probably on the brink of becoming very influential in this state and that the potential of such a strong body of professionals is an asset this state should begin to capitalise on.
Mr Harman explained the review process under way within the Commission and called for substantial input from the Indian community.
In answer to a question about the Commission’s engagement with the private sector, Mr Harman reported on steps already undertaken to join and to work with the Diversity Council of Australia so as to bring to bear on the business world the expertise already developed for the public sector in New South Wales.
“We now have a public service in New South Wales where every manager is aware of their responsibility to tailor their services to the needs of a culturally diverse society and to communicate the availability of those services appropriately,” he said.
The need for youth to play a more prominent role in community reorganisations to ensure continuity of representation was also raised. This has been a continuing theme of community consultations taken so far by the new leadership of the Commission.
Mr Harman said at the meeting that the Commission would soon roll out a comprehensive social media strategy to boost its engagement and communication with young people.
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