Mr Prasad Phillip of Beyond Vacations, along with Mr Uday Chandran of Biggin & Scott Mitcham organised a Catch-up Dinner for Victoria’s Indian and multicultural communities, with Hon. Jason Wood MP on the evening of Monday 24 June at the Celebrations Indian Restaurant, Lynbrook.
Mr Wood has recently been appointed as the Federal Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Customs and Community Safety in the recently sworn new Scott Morrison Ministry. It was his first interaction with various stakeholders of Victoria’s multicultural communities after being appointed as the new Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs.
Minister Wood interacted freely with community champions and leaders, trying to understand the issues impacting Australia’s multicultural communities. Being a long term serving Member for La-Trobe Federal electorate, which has suburbs with high multicultural population such as Berwick, Packenham etc, his understanding of multicultural communities is good.
Other prominent guests which graced the evening included Mr Brad Battin MLA (Shadow Minister for Emergency Services); Former Ministerial Adviser Mr Nitin Gupta; Cr Amanda Stapledon (Mayor for Casey); Mrs Preeti Sharma (Simonds Homes); Mr Rishi Dutta (Prudent Loans, Dandenong); Mr Aravind Putta (Ambassador Richmond Tigers); Mr Adam Khan (Pakistani Community), and significant others.
Minister Wood also outlined various initiatives and visions of the newly re-elected Scott Morrison government. Organisers Prasad Phillip and Uday also spoke briefly, and thanked the guests for joining in at their networking evening.
The “Vote of Thanks” on behalf of organisers was delivered by Mrs Deepika Uday Chandran, who had also helped with the emcee duties in earlier part of the evening. The informal networking continued later for community to interact and discuss issues etc.
Support Independent Community Journalism
Dear Reader,The Indian Sun exists for one reason: to tell stories that might otherwise go unheard.
We report on local councils, state politics, small businesses and cultural festivals. We focus on the Indian diaspora and the wider multicultural community with care, balance and accountability. We publish in print and online, send regular newsletters and produce video content. We also run media training programs to help community organisations share their own stories.
We operate independently.
Community journalism does not have the backing of large media corporations. Advertising revenue fluctuates. Platform algorithms change. Costs continue to rise. Yet the need for credible, grounded reporting in a multicultural Australia has never been greater.
When you support The Indian Sun, you support:
• Independent reporting on issues affecting migrant communities
• Coverage of local and state decisions that shape daily life
• A platform for small businesses and community groups
• Media training that builds skills within the community
• Journalism accountable to readers
We cannot cover everything, but we work to cover what matters.
If you value thoughtful reporting that reflects Australia’s diversity, we invite you to contribute. Every donation helps us maintain the quality and consistency of our work.
Please consider making a contribution today.
Thank you for your support.
The Indian Sun Team
