By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A MIX of refugees, community leaders and councillors comprise Greater Dandenong’s Asylum Seeker and Refugee Advisory Committee, which was unveiled last week.
The 15-member committee was formed in response to the pressures on charities, agencies and volunteers to help the growing numbers of asylum seekers living in the council area.
Two refugees, Gholam Ali Yaghobi and Gul Taniwal, were accepted on the panel.
There are also members from state bodies Monash Health and the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship.
It includes councillors Roz Blades and Matthew Kirwan, as well as representatives from the council, AMES, Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, Dandenong Community Advice Bureau, Friends of Refugees and Springvale Community Aid and Advice Bureau.
Cr Blades told a council meeting last Monday that she was pleased with the “quality of the membership”.
“We’re the most multicultural city in Victoria. This will be very worthwhile,” she said.
The council last Monday endorsed a multi-council statement in support of asylum seekers, calling for more local resources and more timely access to up-to-date data on asylum seeker numbers in the community.
It will deliver the statement to the Federal Government when “all other councils” have formally endorsed the statement.
Cr Blades, who instigated the campaign, said “we are the right council to do this”.
