ACT Independent Senator David Pocock is today launching a community-driven campaign for a new Multicultural Centre in Canberra.
Senator Pocock said Canberra has a vibrant multicultural community but lacks the kind of facility needed for large events that celebrate culture and promote social cohesion.
In 2020 the then governing ACT Labor-Greens governing coalition promised to "construct a large new multicultural events venue at EPIC for cultural performances and available for hire for large private functions, such as weddings.” However this promise was subsequently broken, with a renovation of the Fitzroy Pavillion that fails to meet community needs.
In the lead up to this year’s Federal election, the Albanese Government pledged $106,000 to upgrade multicultural centres in Queanbeyan and Goulburn, $5 million for a regional multicultural centre in Illawarra and $4 million for a multicultural centre for South Dandenong. There were no such commitments for Canberra.
Senator Pocock said that with more than a quarter of Canberrans born overseas and over 200 active multicultural community organisations it was time to invest in a new multicultural centre rather than letting the ACT miss out again on Commonwealth social infrastructure investments.
To support the community driven campaign for a new Multicultural Centre in Canberra Senator Pocock is releasing a dedicated website, petition and community survey to inform exactly what a new centre would need to fulfill community requirements. Senator Pocock is officially launching the campaign tonight at his fourth and final booked out community Town Hall for the year in Belconnen tonight.
“Like many Canberrans, I hate seeing the ACT continually missing out on the kind of projects that other electorates receive federal funding for,” Senator Pocock said.
“We have competing funding priorities in the ACT with housing, health - especially the hospital, GPs, out of pocket costs for scans - and education chief among them.
“However, key social infrastructure can’t be overlooked especially when there is precedent for federal funding to support the delivery of new projects.
“Governments need to genuinely listen to the community, deliver what they commit to rather than some lesser version and keep promises made in the lead up to elections.
“So much of celebrating culture revolves around food and the absence of a commercial kitchen in the Fitzroy Pavilion refit renders it inadequate for its intended purpose.”
Senator Pocock wrote to the Chief Minister in 2023 ahead of the Fitzroy Pavillion refit expressing community concerns with the proposal and the inadequate community consultation. Senator Pocock will use the petition to continue advocating for investment in a Multicultural Centre for Canberra, including in the upcoming federal budget.