City to check on Sudanese help

By Shaun Inguanzo
GREATER Dandenong Council will investigate what services are available to help integrate Sudanese migrants into the city to decide whether or not it will hire its own liaison officer.
The decision was made at Monday night’s council meeting at Springvale after Keysborough South Ward councillor Peter Brown’s notice of motion to begin employing a Sudanese liaison officer was rejected in an eight to three vote.
Keysborough Ward councillor Roz Blades, the lead opponent to the motion, then subsequently moved that the council investigate what federal and state funded services were already available.
The report would then help the council decide whether or not it was worth employing a Sudanese liaison officer.
Cr Brown told the chamber that a Sudanese liaison officer would provide council with an arm to be able to reach out to the Sudanese community and better understand settlement and integration issues in the city.
Cr Brown said existing services were not linked and often did not include Sudanese community members on their panels or committees.
Only councillors John Kelly and Maria Sampey supported Cr Brown, while the rest supported Cr Blades’ approach.
Community Services director June Dugina told councillors that a report could be turned around in four weeks.