Official opening of Multicultural Australia’s Community Space at the Brisbane Lions’ Brighton Homes Arena

State Member for Jordan, Ms Charis Mullen MP; representing Senator for Queensland Paul Scarr, Mr Matthew McEachan; Ipswich City Council Mayor, Councillor Theresa Harding and Councillors; Executive Director, Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs, Mr Wayne Briscoe; Multicultural Australia Board Chair, Mr Giri Sivaraman, Board Members and Chief Executive Officer, Ms Christine Castley; Brisbane Lions Deputy Chair of the Board, Ms Sarah Kelly; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you, Uncle Joe Kirk for welcoming us to Country this morning. I too, would like to begin by acknowledging the original custodians of the lands on which we gather, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to all First Nations people here today.

As proud Patron of Multicultural Australia, I was delighted to accept CEO, Ms Christine Castley’s kind invitation to officially open this new Community Space at the Brisbane Lions’ Brighton Homes Arena.

Thank you for your warm welcome to Springfield, and to this impressive, state-of-the-art training facility, which is not only a home for our beloved Brisbane Lions, but is a hub for sports and leisure activities in the South-East.

This morning marks the start of another exciting chapter in the story of one of Queensland’s most respected multicultural agencies—one that began 25 years ago. Since its beginnings, Multicultural Australia has been committed to helping new Queenslanders settle and thrive in our State, by offering practical assistance and advice delivered in a spirit of friendship and understanding.

Forming social links and supporting and fostering cultural diversity are crucial to ensuring people feel accepted and valued.

This new community space will help Multicultural Australia further its beneficial work in the Springfield area, by bringing individuals and groups together in a vibrant environment that is well equipped to host a range of educational, sporting and social activities, along with cultural events.

The people who come here will be able to take part in language classes and sporting programs, access important services that support their settlement, and build connections that will have a lasting impact on their lives.

This opportunity to share in a welcoming space will help strengthen the broader community, as the influence of different customs and traditions enrich all of our experiences, and promote greater understanding between us.

I therefore congratulate the respective Boards, Executive teams and staff of both Multicultural Australia and the Brisbane Lions for nurturing the long-standing partnership between the two organisations, which has encouraged people to interact in such a positive way.

This infrastructure is an exciting addition to the Springfield community, which has already been so successful at welcoming new cultures to the region, and which will be enhanced even more by the inclusion of this fantastic social space.

You should all be enormously proud of your efforts to see it serving the community so well.

It now gives me tremendous pleasure, as Governor of Queensland, to declare Multicultural Australia’s Community Space—here at the Brisbane Lions’ Brighton Homes Arena—officially open, and I am looking forward to the official tour!