2014年工黨領袖德魯斯以提供土地供華裔及印度裔社區興建長者護理設施, 爭取了多元文化社區認同及支持, 取得管治維州所需要的選票。2018年安德魯斯再接再勵, 答應華人再建一所華人護理院, 取得更多移民支持, 鞏固了工黨政府對維州議會的控制。不過直到今天, 已購買了給華人及印度人社區的四幅土地,仍未交到這些社區之中進行興建相關設施, 可見工黨不單止是失信於民, 更是長期欺騙了少數族裔。

歡欣機構在2017年及2021年都積極申建這些設施, 也有一些社團同時申辦, 不過維州政府卻長期拖延批出土地的決定。歡欣機構多次向維州長者護理部長申訴, 尋求協助, 直至去年9月, 得部長Ingrid Stitt安排, 與負責官員開會, 11月相關部門靜悄悄地推出申辦招標, 卻只通知了400多所主流長者護理設施經營者, 而不把申辦權如之前一樣, 提供給少數族裔社區。可以說, 維州政府偷天換日, 把原來答應給華人社區的土地, 雙手奉送給主流長者護理機構, 實在是對華裔及印度裔社區不公平, 也是利益輸送。

歡欣機構, 不斷向同時擔任多元文化部長的Ingrid Stitt申訴, 經過多月溝通, 得到的是部長回覆, 表示對這情況無能為力, 這是令人不能接受的。同時作為多元文化部及長者護理部長, Ingrid Stitt竟然無法落實工黨多次對少數族裔社區許下的競選承諾, 表明了工黨不再重視少數族裔的福祉。自由黨作為反對黨, 多年來對這問題視而不見, 知而不動, 更顯出自由黨政客的無能及懶惰。

過去工黨以支持少數族裔參選或提供對多元文化社區的支援來吸納選票, 不過, 在興建華人長者護理設施這重要項目, 已表明工黨缺乏誠信。是時候維州要興起更多關注移民生活, 為他們發聲的議員。2022年聯邦選舉開始的獨立議員運動,並沒有在維州議會選舉中發生過, 明年是維州大選年, 只盼有更多能為多元文化社區發聲的獨立候選人, 能出來在社會中, 揭示現時兩大政黨對少數族群不公的政策。

是時候作為移民的我們, 要走出來, 為我們的社區, 發出更響亮的聲音。

周偉文, 社長

Speaking Up for the Immigrant Community 

In 2014, the Labor Party under Daniel Andrews offered land to the Chinese and Indian communities to build aged care facilities, in order to gain the recognition and support of multicultural communities and secure the votes needed to govern Victoria. In 2018, Andrews continued his efforts, promising the Chinese community another aged care facility, gaining further support from immigrants and consolidating Labor’s control. However, to this day, the four plots of land purchased for the Chinese and Indian communities have not been delivered to the communities for construction of the promised facilities. This shows that the Labor Party has not only broken its promises but has also long deceived ethnic minority communities.

The Rejoice organisation actively applied to build these facilities in 2017 and 2021, and some other Chinese community organizations also applied. However, the Victorian government has long delayed making decisions. Rejoice repeatedly appealed to the Victorian Minister for Aged Care for assistance, and it was not until September last year that Minister Ingrid Stitt arranged a meeting with the responsible officials. In November, the relevant minister quietly launched a tender process, notifying only over 400 mainstream aged care providers, rather than offering the application rights to ethnic minority communities as had been done before. In other words, the Victorian government effectively took the land originally promised to the Chinese community and handed it over to mainstream aged care providers, which is clearly unfair to the Chinese and Indian communities and constitutes a transfer of benefits.

Rejoice continued to appeal to Ingrid Stitt, who serves as both Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Minister for Ageing. After months of communication, the response was that the minister was powerless in this situation, which is unacceptable. As both the Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Minister for Ageing, Ingrid Stitt’s inability to fulfill multiple campaign promises made to ethnic minority communities shows that the Labor Party no longer values the welfare of minority groups. The Liberal Party, as the opposition, has turned a blind eye to this issue for years, further exposing its incompetence and idleness.

In the past, political parties sought votes by supporting ethnic minority candidates or providing assistance to multicultural communities. However, regarding this important project of building Chinese aged care facilities, the Labor Party has demonstrated a lack of integrity. It is time for Victoria to raise more legislators who focus on the lives of immigrants and speak up for them. The independent movement that began in 2022 has not yet appeared in the Victorian parliamentary elections. In the upcoming Victorian state election, we hope more independent candidates who can represent multicultural communities will emerge to expose the current policies of the two major parties that are unfair to minority groups.

It is time for us, as immigrants, to step forward and raise a stronger voice for our community.

Mr. Raymond Chow, Publisher