Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced today that a re-elected Labor Government will invest $3.4 million to benefit multicultural senior citizen organisations.
Labor will provide each and every one of Victoria’s 862 multicultural senior citizen groups with a $4,000 grant in 2019 to assist them in holding activities for their members.
Eighteen Filipino senior citizen groups in Victoria will benefit from such grant that will fund activities including excursions, cultural dancing, singing, and religious feast day celebrations.
The multicultural senior citizen grants can also be used for much-needed equipment upgrades that would assist groups to hold future events. This will benefit the social wellbeing of older culturally and linguistically diverse Victorians. Grants can fund commercial kitchen appliances, fridges, and barbeques.
Over 70 different ethnicities and religious groupings are represented across Victoria’s multicultural senior citizen groups, reflecting the diverse multicultural fabric of the state.
“Cultural activities and celebrations are important to our multicultural communities—and Labor is proud to support them,” Minister for Multicultural Affairs Robin Scott said.
This investment is aimed at the sacrifices made by older migrants who, in many cases, came to Australia, worked hard for decades away from their immediate family and built a brighter future for their children and the state.
“Older migrants came to Australia and worked hard all of their life to build a better future for their children. In doing so they helped to build this nation—as Premier of Victoria, I say thank you,” Premier Andrews said.
This announcement is in line with Labor’s commitment to invest $27.1 million for multicultural aged care in a move to strengthen the public health system.
“Like Labor Prime Ministers Gough Whitlam and Bob Hawke, and Labor Premier Steve Bracks before me, I will always stand with our multicultural communities,” Andrews said.
Labor recognises the vast contribution of older multicultural Victorians and is willing to make the investments that really matter.
Eligibility for the grants will be open to all multicultural senior citizen groups funded as part of the Victorian Budget’s 2018/19 Senior Citizens Organisational Support Grants program.
The Filipino senior citizen groups to be funded include the following:
- The Filipino Social Support Group Inc.
- Filipino Australian Friendship Association of Geelong
- Friendship of Elderly Filipino – Australians of Victoria Incorporated
- Filipino Elderly Get Together Association
- Filippino Australian Association of Ballarat Inc
- Australian Multicultural Seniors Support Group Inc.
- Frankston Filipino Seniors Support Group Inc
- Pilipino Elderly Association of South East Region (PEASER)
- Young Generation Filipino Senior Citizens Club of the South East
- Philippine Cultural Society for families and friends Inc
- United Filipino Elderly Group Inc.
- Damayan Victoria Incorporated
- Filipino Seniors Carers Support Group
- SPG – Samahan ng mga Pillipino at Australian sa Gippsland
- Filcare Vic Inc.
- Filipino Australian Senior Citizens of Victoria Inc
- Filipino-Australian Senior Citizens’ Advisory Council in Australia Inc.
- St Francis of Assisi Filipino Senior Citizens Club of Whittlesea Inc.
