The NSW Government is fulfilling its commitment to enhance the safety and security of places of worship across the state through the Safe Places for Faith Communities Program. A total of 103 community and faith organisations will benefit from $5 million in grants, aimed at ensuring that the spaces where faith communities gather remain secure.
The program adopts a resilience-based approach, focusing on prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery measures. This initiative will fund the upgrading of security and surveillance systems, as well as other supportive measures such as training in managing challenging behaviour and multi-faith grief support.
This initiative is a part of a broader $15 million commitment over four years, an election promise developed in collaboration with faith and religious groups, experts across the state, and the Multicultural NSW’s Community Resilience and Response Plan (COMPLAN) Committee.
Steve Kamper, NSW Minister for Multiculturalism, emphasised the importance of maintaining places of worship as sanctuaries where members of different faiths can gather peacefully. “NSW is the most successful multifaith state in Australia, our respect for the many faiths and cultures that make up this state enriches our society and our communities. Places of worship must always be havens where faith members can gather in peace and prayer, knowing they are safe.”
Kamper expressed pride in delivering this election promise, highlighting the tangible benefits the projects will bring to faith communities across NSW.
Michael Stead, Chair of the NSW Faith Affairs Council, echoed these sentiments, expressing gratitude for the government’s response to their calls for enhanced safety and security measures. “As faith leaders across NSW, we are very thankful that the NSW Government has listened to our requests to improve the safety and security of our places of worship. We are proud of our status as one of the most successful multicultural jurisdictions in the world, and know that diversity is reflected in the many faith groups that practice in NSW. Our churches, mosques, and synagogues are central to our communities and we know this program will help make them safer for generations to come.”
For more details on the program, visit Safe Places for Faith Communities Program on the Multicultural NSW website.
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