Just a day after, Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) revealed key highlights of the 2016 Census, stating that a ‘typical’ Victorian migrant is India-born, the Victorian Government on Wednesday announced that it is planning a third Indian cultural hub in Melbourne.
On Wednesday, the state government announced Monash in Melbourne’s south east could be home to Victoria’s next Indian cultural centre.
Monash City Council has been granted $50,000 for a feasibility study to examine the needs of the local Indian community, identify service gaps and assess the viability of a community centre for the area.
With sites already earmarked for Dandenong and Wyndham, these hubs will provide a space for Indian people to come together and celebrate their culture and heritage with the broader community.
Minister for Multicultural Affairs Robin Scott was today joined by Member for Oakleigh Steve Dimopoulos and local Mayor Rebecca Paterson to announce the study, which is expected to be completed in three months.
Minister Scott said, “We should be proud of our multiculturalism, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t require work. This study will help us direct our efforts.”
“These hubs provide another opportunity to celebrate and share Indian culture with the broader local community.”
Monash’s local demographics have seen a significant transformation over the past decade, with the Indian population more than doubling between 2001 and 2011.
It’s a change that means the south eastern corridor accounts for almost a third of Melbourne’s South Asian population.
Member for Oakleigh Steve Dimopoulos said, “We’ve got a rapidly growing Indian community in Monash and it’s vital we support and embrace that.”
Victoria is home to Australia’s largest Indian community, with more than 111,700 Victorians having been born in India.
