Two new members have been appointed to the Multicultural Queensland Advisory Council.
Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Charis Mullen said the new members – Prince Long Lo (right) and Cornelia Babbage OAM (left) – both have extensive experience working in the multicultural sector and will bring a wealth of knowledge to their roles.
“Congratulations to Prince and Cornelia on their appointments,” said Minister Mullen.
“Council members are strong voices for our multicultural communities, and I have no doubt they will bring a wealth of knowledge and perspective to their roles.”
Toowoomba resident, Mr Long Lo, is a certified practitioner of the Australian Association of Social Workers, with a background in community development, settlement services, education and the not-for-profit sector.
Ms Babbage is based on the Gold Coast and was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for her services to Gold Coast multicultural communities and has a background in domestic and family violence prevention and multicultural support services.
The new appointments followed a meeting of the Council in Brisbane to address ways to strengthen unity and build social cohesion across Queensland.
Chair of the Council and Multicultural Affairs Minister Charis Mullen was joined by Council members and representatives from the Department of Justice and Attorney-General, Queensland Health and the Queensland Human Rights Commission.
Members discussed the impacts of geopolitical conflict on social cohesion, hate crimes and serious vilification laws for Queensland and making government services and information more accessible to people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
“We recently held the first formal Council meeting of the year, and I’d like to thank members for sharing their knowledge and advice,” said Minister Mullen.
“It’s vital that Queenslanders from culturally diverse backgrounds have access to the information, support and services they need to thrive, and I’m grateful for the support of the Council in helping to build a more inclusive, harmonious and unified state.”
Council members come from a range of backgrounds and have extensive experience, networks and strong links within their communities.
They provide advice to the Minister on how services and programs funded by the Queensland Government can be more responsive to the needs of people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
“As a young migrant, I know how challenging it can be to settle into a new country,” said Mr Long Lo.
“It’s why I am passionate about advocating for the needs of migrants, particularly in regional areas.
“I’ve supported more than 5,000 newly arrived Queenslanders through mentoring, events and case management to improve economic participation, education and community integration,” he said.
“I hope my appointment can inspire other young migrants to step up for their communities and look forward to continuing my advocacy for multicultural communities as a new member of the Council.”
Mrs Babbage said she was honoured to take on the important role and looked forward to working with the Council to address the challenges facing multicultural communities.
“This is an incredible opportunity to advocate for the changes needed to further improve the lives of migrants, refugees, and women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds experiencing domestic and family violence,” she said.
“After more than 25 years in the multicultural sector in Queensland and NSW, I am looking forward to continuing my advocacy for multicultural communities as a member of the Council.”
