At the 2016 Census 23% (383,000) South Australians were born overseas and over 266,000 spoke a language other than English at home.

Supporting this segment of the South Australian population pays multiple dividends in enhancing South Australia’s economy, social cohesion and sustainability.

To assist South Australia reap the benefits from it’s multicultural community it needs to invest in and support its peak multicultural body, the Multicultural Communities Council of South Australia. MCCSA membership includes established community organisations, new and emerging communities from both the humanitarian and skilled migrants sector. MCCSA also supports older migrants who have come in through family reunion. Servicing groups from babies to the very elderly MCCSA is ideally placed to assist SA migrant communities and individuals to maximise their participation in Australian society and to creatively and innovatively contribute to South Australia’s cultural life and economic development. Help MCCSA to help South Australia grow.

We call on all parties to commit to the following:

1          Fund a new $4m purpose-built MCCSA multi-function building

2          Support a minimum commitment of $2.00 per culturally and linguistically diverse South Australian per year. Increase tri-annual sector support funding to MCCSA to a minimum of $532,000 per year.

3          Support skilled migrants through

–           an  internship program managed by MCCSA which helps place skilled migrants in South Australian organisations for 6 month placements at lower salaries

–           a skilled migrant network, which provides social support, and training on topics of benefit to skilled migrants.

4          Grow the international education sector by identifying issues which impact on the student experience in South Australia and explore with students and institutions future initiatives to enhance the student experience

5          Support multicultural youth by investing $200,000 in our CALD youth programs so that MCCSA can identify and address specific barriers for multicultural youth from the inner west to northern regions of Adelaide and prevent multi-generational cycles of disadvantage

To read our detailed platform please click on link  State Election Platform 2018