Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-03-17 Daily Xml

Contents

Multicultural Grants Program

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (14:52): My question is to the Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs:

1. What conversations did the assistant minister have with multicultural groups prior to 28 February about applying for the Expand Together Grant that closed on that date?

2. What conversations did the assistant minister have with multicultural groups prior to 31 January about applying for Stronger Together Grant applications that closed on that date?

3. How are grants forwarded to successful grant applicants? Is it by electronic fund transfers or a cheque sent by the department to the association or any other means?

The Hon. J.S. LEE (14:53): I thank the member for the many questions and his interest in multicultural affairs. In terms of the grants process, as I already explained in my previous answers, it is administered by the office of multicultural affairs of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. It is up to the office, following the normal procedures of sending the contract documents to successful recipients.

The conversations that I have with many, many multicultural groups are all about what grants are available to help our multicultural communities to advance their organisations and to serve our community. Those grants guidelines are able to be downloaded and are available on the website of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. Honourable members can, you know, please take a closer look at those.

In terms of how the funding is distributed, I believe it is actually by electronic means but, again, these are operational matters for the office of multicultural affairs and departments to manage on a day-to-day basis. It is not an area where I as assistant minister, or any other minister, go down to all those details to find out whether a cheque is presented or whether it is by electronic means. However, because we live in a very modern age and because of the fact that most people probably do not have a chequebook anymore, I suspect most of the funding will be done by electronic means in terms of grants.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.S. LEE: The Hon. Ian Hunter mentioned he has a chequebook.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. J.S. LEE: For those organisations that do not have online banking, perhaps they request the department to send them a cheque. I don't have that level of detail of operational matters.