Prime Minister Julia Gillard was in Melbourne last week to congratulate 40 Australians who have been recognised for their outstanding work in building strong and cohesive local communities.
The 40 local champions have been independently selected as People of Australia Ambassadors following hundreds of nominations from the public. Australians were asked to identify inspirational people who have helped to build bridges, promote inclusion and strengthen ties in their communities. The Ambassadors have been recognised for the impact they are having on the lives of many Australians – from bringing kids together through sport, to helping small business owners from diverse backgrounds get up and running.
At the announcement, the Prime Minister and Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs Kate Lundy, were joined by football champion and new Ambassador Harry O’Brien, who is actively involved in the AFL’s own Multicultural Program and engaged in a variety of community projects.
The Ambassador program is an initiative of the Gillard Labor Government’s multicultural policy The People of Australia announced last year. The scheme provides a platform for the 40 Ambassadors to promote their initiatives that in turn can help inspire others. Ambassadors will also be asked to provide advice to the Australian Multicultural Council to assist the development of the Government’s multicultural policy.
