Michelle Rowland

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Michelle Rowland MP

FEDERAL MEMBER FOR GREENWAY

Level 1, Suite 101C, 130 Main Street, Blacktown PO Box 8525, Blacktown NSW 2148 (02) 9671 4780 Michelle.Rowland.MP@aph.gov.au MRowlandMP www.michellerowland.com.au

Afghan women typify diversity

 MICHELLE ROWLAND

LAST year I met with the inspiring Afghan Women On The Move (AWOTM) team at the fantastic local Afghan street food restaurant, Afghan Chapli, right here in Blacktown.

There, they had asked me what community space options there were for them to operate their organisation.

It prompted me to realise that grassroots organisations here would really benefi t from cultural infrastructure to provide more multipurpose community space, because simply, there aren’t many spaces for community organisations here in Western Sydney.

Then, last week we came back together at Afghan Chapli — not just to indulge in the array of delicious, traditional food and tea they off er, but to talk solutions. Namely, Labor’s announcement to commission a feasibility study into the relocation of SBS HQ to Sydney’s West.

Western Sydney is one of Australia’s most diverse and fast-growing areas and SBS is Australia’s most diverse multilingual, multiplatform media organisations.

SBS is already focused on providing diverse, quality programming, so spaces alongside their headquarters have the potential to foster and strengthen community diversity and provide organisations like Afghan Women on the Move with the spaces to run their operations and create content.

As we emerge from the pandemic, it is also important to ensure we’re providing local jobs for local people here in Western Sydney.

It has been estimated that building a new SBS HQ in Western Sydney would create almost 400 construction jobs and generate $85 million for the Sydney economy.

When I discussed this with Maryam Zahid, Mujgan Tahery, Zainab Khavary, Anthea Green and Gul Rafi qi, they also believed that this relocation would benefi t community organisations like theirs, especially ones that are just getting started.

Maryam, the Founder of Afghan Women on the Move said: “Because AWOTM started from social media, we have no space to function. Now we have been lucky to fi nd a room from Blacktown Council, which we are very thankful for. But you can't just work through social media in Zoom meetings, if you really want to bring the change. So, I think that's how I see the importance of having a space through the relocation of SBS — to provide these community spaces for organisations like ours in Western Sydney.:

Anthea, their Operations Manager said: “I think if SBS gets to Western Sydney, that's a wonderful opportunity to create a space alongside…that supports what they're trying to do without costing them a whole heap of money. I think it's a great support for local communities.”

Ultimately, our announcement is one that is focused on harnessing the cultural value we can off er in Western Sydney and ensuring that infrastructure like this can create local jobs and support our local community.

It is one step closer to creating a better future for all.

Michelle Rowland is Shadow Minister for Communications Federal Member for Greenway. Visit: www.michellerowland.com.au

Michelle Rowland meets with Afghan women.