Page 5620 - Week 13 - Thursday, 17 November 2011
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If the process of relocation is delayed it will put our programming in disarray, causing loss of income, reputation and instability.
That is the loss of reputation. This was a letter sent to your party, Mr Speaker. The decision has been made. It is the right decision. Megalo feels, rightly, that its interests are not being considered. That is where I got my comments about its reputation. It was from Megalo itself.
Another one was with regard to the Australian Multicultural Advisory Council. I would like to inform members that I wrote to the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship back in the latter part of last year. I informed him that the ACT was the sole jurisdiction without representation on the council and I considered the council’s strength to the Australian community to be diminished by our omission. I noted that we were at the forefront of many decisions and sought membership to that council, and clearly that we were well placed to participate. I offered to send him a list of distinguished and experienced nominees. He replied saying that the geographical distribution of members does not reflect on the achievements of any state or territory. He noted that the term of the council expired on 30 June 2012, and that if a new council is appointed its membership could be reviewed at any time by the Australian government.
I am quite happy to table those two letters. I am happy to table the one that I sent to the Hon Chris Bowen, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, advocating on behalf of the ACT for membership to the Australian Multicultural Advisory Council. I am also quite happy to table the letter in return where, unfortunately, he said, “No membership at this stage.” I will continue to prosecute the case, Mr Speaker. I table the following papers:
Australian Multicultural Advisory Council—ACT representation—Copies of letters from—
The Minister for Multicultural Affairs to the Federal Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, dated 30 September 2010.
The Federal Minister for Immigration and Citizenship to the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, undated.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
The Assembly adjourned at 6.44 pm until Tuesday, 6 December 2011, at 10 am.
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