Tuesday, 19 March 2024

Ministers statements: South Sudanese Australian community

Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice, Minister for Victim Support) (13:47): I rise today to update the house on the Allan Labor government’s ongoing commitment to and investment in early intervention and diversion programs that make us all safer. An important part of this is supporting our vibrant South Sudanese Australian community, including young people, through the latest round of the South Sudanese Australian community grants program. In the upcoming financial year we will be allocating a further $400,000 towards projects designed to address the challenges faced by our South Sudanese Australians and provide them with a positive pathway. We are doing this in partnership with local community organisations, helping to develop their capacity and to improve their communities.

This round of grant funding will ensure that crucial initiatives continue to thrive and make a real difference in the lives of our young people. We will be providing funding to organisations that have shown tremendous success to date, such as the African Youth Initiative, Nas Recovery Centre, NextGen Unite and Stand Out Youth Empowerment. These organisations have already engaged almost 500 South Sudanese Australian young people, and this funding will help them reach even more. We are committed to working closely with these organisations to build the sustainability and effectiveness of these programs. That includes providing essential training for these community organisations to ensure they can make the best use of the resources provided to them.

As Minister for Youth Justice I remain steadfast in our commitment to the wellbeing and empowerment of all young South Sudanese Australians. Together we can build a future filled with promise, opportunity and prosperity for all youth, whatever their background. Tackling the root cause of offending at the early stage is a key part of keeping the community safe, and as a government we will always prioritise this.