More Aussie taxpayer MILLIONS and MILLIONS and MILLIONS for'Palestinian' communities
Anyone care to add them all up?
Thursday, 29 August 2024
Media release
Funding to support Australian Palestinian communities
The Albanese Government is continuing to focus onsocial cohesion here in Australia, with funding granted to support young Muslimand Palestinian Australians and their family, friends and community impacted bythe conflict and humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The Government will provide new grants totalling$2.4 million to community services that support youth throughculturally-informed youth services and pathways to positive communityparticipation. Empowering young Australian Muslims locally is critical tobuilding connections and tackling division, prejudice and hate.
The following community based organisationssupporting young Muslim Australians are being invited to apply for thesegrants:
· Himilo Ltd
· UMA Centre
· AustralianMulticultural Foundation
A further $2.6 million will be disbursed throughone-off grants to Australian Palestinian-led community organisations who havethe expertise and relationships to:
· providecommunity-driven approaches and flexible support packages; and
· support the socialinclusion and participation of Palestinian Australians and their family,friends and community across Australia.
The following organisations are being invited toapply for these grants:
· Palestine AustraliaRelief & Action Foundation
· Palestinian Communityof Western Australia
· PalestinianChristians in Australia
· Glimmer of Hope
Other opportunities for Palestinian and Muslimorganisations to apply for funding projects remain under consideration.
This funding is in addition to the Government’s $25million commitment to support Palestinian, Muslim and Arab communities inAustralia affected by the Hamas-Israel conflict and humanitarian crisis inGaza, including $2 million over two years to the Australian Red Cross todeliver emergency financial assistance.
More broadly, applications will be sought from lateSeptember for a $5.0 million open grant round to support organisations tofurther build social cohesion.
In October 2023, the Government announcedinitiatives across government totalling $87.8m over four years from 2023-24 toaddress the social cohesion impacts of this conflict. The initiatives focus oncommunity safety, mental health and wellbeing support to affected communities,online safety, anti-racism and funding to community organisations and tosupport all impacted communities.
Quotes attributable to the AssistantMinister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, Julian Hill MP
“The distress Palestinian and Muslim Australiansare feeling with the ongoing Hamas-Israel conflict is profound, andthe Albanese Government is committed to working in partnership with affectedcommunities to provide support.
“This crucial support will go where it is neededmost, as identified through engagement with Australian Palestinian, Muslim andArab organisations and community leaders who are providing much-neededfrontline services to communities.
“Australia continues to press for an immediateceasefire, increased humanitarian access, the release of hostages, and toprevent regional escalation.
“At home, our focus is on providing support to allthose who have been impacted, and to enhance and foster community connectionduring this devastating conflict.”
