The Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs Andrew Giles today announced $1.8 million for an expansion of the Greek Centre of Melbourne’s Hub proposal.
The funding will be used to upgrade facilities at five key Greek community locations across Melbourne, including the Orthodox churches of St Demetrios in Windsor and St Eleftherios in Brunswick.
“The Greek Community’s hubs played a major role in the fight against COVID, and now will go on to provide important and needed cultural, educational and community programs.” Mr Giles said to Neos Kosmos.
Mr Giles also made a strong pitch to the Greek Australians living in the highly contested seat of Higgins. He said Labor’s candidate for Higgins, Dr Michelle Ananda-Rajah and “the Albanese team have been listening to Melbourne’s thriving Greek community and understand how important the upgrade of these Hubs is to keeping culture alive.”
Higgins has a strip of rusted on Liberal voters squeezed in by large bands of Labor voters. Labor recorded majorities in 19 and the Liberals 17 of the 36 polling places used in the 2019 federal election.
Labor’s candidate for Higgins Dr Ananda-Rajah said that Higgins represents an important part of the city’s Greek community.
“An Albanese Labor government will ensure that the community can extend their educational and cultural programs for many years to come” said Dr Amanda-Rajah to Neos Kosmos.
Richard Marles Labor’s Deputy Leader said that the funding “acknowledges the integral role of the Greek community in a thriving multicultural Victoria.”
“The support will allow for the expansion of Greek Community of Melbourne’s cultural, educational and community programs as we emerge from the pandemic.
“Labor is supporting communities that give back so much life to Melbourne’s rich culture,” said Mr Marles.
Former Labor leader Bill Shorten, now Shadow Minister for the NDIS said that the commitment from Labor “once again echoes our commitment for a better future for all.”
The Coalition government also pledged $1.8 million to the Greek Community of Melbourne two weeks ago. Combined pledges to the Greek community and the Archdiocese from Labor and the Coalition have surpassed $20 million.
Bill Papastergiadis the Greek Community’s president was chuffed with the announcement.
Talking to Neos Kosmos he said that the “proposed Greek Centre Hub program has become that much more possible.”
He noted that both major parties endorsed the project proposal and said that “the project is highly likely to move forward post-election day.”
The President of the Greek Community said that their focus is to “better serve the community.”
“The fact that the project we proposed is deemed worthy of support by both sides of politics, speaks to the value of the project and that both sides see clearly the benefits that it will bring,” Mr Papastergiadis said to Neos Kosmos.
The Greek Centre Community Hubs project will update and upgrade the community spaces owned by the GCM at Windsor, Thornbury, Brunswick, and Footscray and to see the construction of a space at East Melbourne’s Evangelismos.
“Each site will see better first aid provisions and accessibility implementation and works done on the community halls/spaces that will then allow us to deliver the Hub program.
“The Hub program will deliver a variety of cultural, educational and community programs at each site – and an expansion of the Greek Centre program being run in the city, “said Mr Papastergiadis.
It is clear that regardless of who wins on Saturday the Greek Community is the clear winner.