Commission meets communities in Blacktown

09 December 2009

The Community Relations Commission has held a community consultation in Blacktown to hear directly from locals about issues of concern and about ideas to enhance community relations in the area.

The Chair of the Commission, Stepan Kerkyasharian, Commissioners Afeaki and Christodoulou and Commission staff met with around forty-five representatives from the Sikh, Muslim, Filipino, Pacific, Indian and various communities from Africa, for a two-hour discussion.

Mr Kerkyasharian said after the meeting: "This was a very useful consultation. We heard a number of suggestions which, I am sure, the Commission will want to follow up. Youth issues, employment issues and experiences of discrimination were very candidly expressed by the participants.The Commission has a legislative responsibility to consult broadly with communities around the state. This meeting in Blacktown at the office of SydWest Multicultural Services was part of our regular consultation programme."