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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-05-04 Daily Xml
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Multicultural Communities Council of South Australia

The Hon. J.S. LEE (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (17:18): I move:

That this council—

1. Recognises that the Multicultural Communities Council of South Australia (MCCSA) has been supporting migrant communities and people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds since it was established in 1995 but that its roots stretch back to the 1970s:

2. Acknowledges that MCCSA now represents 120 multicultural organisations and delivers a wide range of programs to increase the capacity of its member organisations and advocate for the needs and aspirations of CALD organisations, communities, and individuals;

3. Notes that MCCSA is the multicultural coordinating partner for the Department of Human Services Community Connection Program and supports people from new and emerging communities to increase their independence and build stronger social and community connections; and

4. Notes the significant positive impact that MCCSA has made towards building social cohesion and enhancing multiculturalism and interculturalism in South Australia.

It is a great honour to rise today to speak about the fantastic work of the Multicultural Communities Council of South Australia, warmly known as MCCSA. As the longest and continuously serving Liberal member of parliament in multicultural affairs, it is a great privilege to have worked closely with MCCSA for 13 consecutive years, since 2010. This motion seeks to recognise the outstanding contributions of the team at MCCSA, including the wonderful chair, the board, its CEO, staff, volunteers and supporters who have contributed their skills, experience, time and effort to serve our diverse communities in our proud multicultural state.

As a first generation migrant I have experienced firsthand what it was like for my family and me to settle into Australia back in 1979. Trying to blend in and integrate into a new society with its own unique culture and traditions can be overwhelming for new arrivals and migrants. It is one of the reasons why the work and services offered by MCCSA are critically important for our multicultural communities.

MCCSA helps to foster a sense of belonging and connection across communities in South Australia and directly through its 125 member organisations, supporting our harmonious and rich multicultural state. As multicultural communities grow in confidence, as well as being confronted by many diverse issues and challenges, the flow-on effect of the work of MCCSA enables more and more migrants and their families to fully participate and contribute in the social, economic, cultural and political life of our state.

MCCSA has an impressive history in South Australia of supporting multicultural communities. While MCCSA has been operating since 1995, its establishment in various names and structures stretches back to the 1970s. In 1974, the Ethnic Communities Council of South Australia was established to meet the needs of increasing numbers of diverse migrants calling South Australia home. The Ethnic Communities Council expanded the services previously delivered by the Good Neighbour Council and took on an advocacy role for new arrivals. In 1995, a new phase began when the Ethnic Communities Council merged with the United Ethnic Communities of South Australia and was renamed the Multicultural Communities Council of South Australia.

In the present day, MCCSA continues to address the needs of established and emerging migrant communities. Their multicultural hub at 113 Gilbert Street is an important meeting place for many of the MCCSA members, creating treasured moments to maintain and share both within and across many different communities. I am always very grateful for the valuable discussions I have with the chair and CEO on a regular basis. At a recent meeting I had with Miriam Cocking, the wonderful chairperson at MCCSA, and also the CEO, Helena Kyriazopoulos OAM, they informed me that in 2022 the multicultural hub was used 798 times for activities, including art classes, English classes, health and wellness classes, community meetings and employment preparation and training.

Prior to the COVID period, the MCCSA facilities had average bookings of over 1,000. This demonstrated a growing need for community members to access facilities to deliver various community programs and MCCSA is advocating for the expansion of its facilities. Despite the challenges brought on by the COVID pandemic, MCCSA as an organisation, working alongside volunteers and its members, has shown tremendous resilience as it continues to find innovative ways to provide support to multicultural communities.

By way of a quick snapshot of MCCSA from their 2021-22 annual report, MCCSA delivered 36 programs and projects with 125 member organisations, participated on 31 boards and committees and have done eight submissions in advocacy work and five research projects in collaboration. As mentioned before, 798 activities were held in terms of utilising their hub. They have reached out in terms of online interactions 207,000 times. They also collaborate with various different organisations by way of 259 participations and collaborations and they are very proud to have 140 volunteers working day and night to serve the community.

MCCSA also provides extensive free online resources to their members through their Community Voices magazine, making sure that everyone is able to access information in a timely fashion. The Successful Communities Toolbox also helps leaders to navigate and provide vital guidance and different models to enhance governance in their respective community groups.

I would like to take a moment to thank and recognise the CEO and hardworking staff and members of the MCCSA executive committee and board for all of their hard work, passion, advocacy and expertise to provide services to the multicultural sector. I have certainly met with the team on numerous occasions at various different events. I just want to give a shout out to MCCSA Chairperson, Miriam Cocking, to recognise her unwavering passion and dedication to MCCSA and also to the communities she has served. Miriam has served MCCSA since 1983, and as its chair since 2015. Her longstanding commitment to MCCSA is outstanding and ought to be acknowledged and congratulated.

I also want to quickly acknowledge the executive board's Dr Ian Harmstorf OAM, Deputy Chairperson; Silvio Iadarola, Treasurer; and the other committee members—Mrs Patrizia Kadis, Mr Rajendra Pandey, Mr Suren Edgar, Mr Eduardo Donoso, Ms Gosia Skalban OAM, Mr Lenard Sciancalepore and Nasir Hussain—for their wonderful support and work for MCCSA.

In my acknowledgement, I also want to specially mention the CEO. She has over 30 years of experience in the multicultural sector, and extensive board experience, Ms Helena Kyriazopoulos OAM. She currently sits on the board and also on the Council on the Ageing, Aged Rights Advocacy Service, and Mental Health Foundation Australia. She has done a tremendous job with the team of MCCSA. I want to acknowledge Helena, and also congratulate her for being awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the general division as part of the Queen's Birthday 2022 Honours awards for her service to the multicultural community.

I want to express my sincere gratitude to all the volunteers—140-strong volunteers working with MCCSA and using their multicultural community's network—for their time, energy and wealth of knowledge towards building social cohesion and enhancing multiculturalism and interculturalism in South Australia. With those remarks, I commend the motion.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. I.K. Hunter.

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