Communities will have a greater opportunity to have their voices heard by the NSW Government thanks to a new state-wide engagement initiative.
Launching the Regional Engagement Program today (Friday, September 2), NSW Minister for Multiculturalism, Mark Coure, said this will see nine Regional Community Networks established throughout the state.
“Our multicultural society is not limited to one city or suburb—it extends right across NSW,” Mr Coure said.
“This program has been designed so that each network will reflect the diversity of the communities it represents, and include the voices of young people, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and new and established migrant communities.
“I am calling on people to register their interest to have a seat at the table and help share their experiences, knowledge and insights on cultural diversity in their region.”
The Regional Engagement Program will include a range of engagement opportunities throughout the year including listening tours, roundtables and annual summits.
Mr Coure explained the initiative, funded through the 2022-23 State Budget, was inspired by the meaningful outcomes the NSW Government achieved by working more closely with local leaders and organisations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The pandemic presented us with a unique opportunity to forge even stronger relationships with diverse communities. It was through this grassroots collaborative working relationship that we were able to achieve the strong vaccination rate we did and keep people safe. We now want to formalise these networks so we better serve the people of NSW,” Mr Coure said.
Each of the nine networks will include 15 formally appointed members. Two networks will cover Greater Sydney, with the others covering Western NSW, Illawarra-South East, Northern NSW, New England and North West NSW, Hunter and Central Coast, Murray Lower Darling and Riverina.
For more information about the Regional Engagement Program, visit www.multicultural.nsw.gov.au.
