First steps for Aboriginal and Torres Strait centre five-year pilot

Brimbank council has taken the initial steps towards launching a pilot program to introduce an Aboriginal community centre at Romsey Villa in Sunshine North for an initial period of five years.

At its meeting on Tuesday, October 18, council passed a motion to develop a Memorandum of Understanding with the Coowinda Community Group to support a pilot of the space.

Council will also support an application through the state fovernment Neighbourhood House funding stream for the facility, pursue other funding opportunities.

Brimbank councillor Victoria Borg said the Brimbank community was “very blessed” to have a vibrant First Nations community.

“When I first became a member of the Brimbank Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Consultative Committee six years ago and found out that the First Nations people do not have a community centre in Brimbank, I became very determined to help them advocate to get such a place,” she said.

“The traditional owners of this land do not have a community place of their own in our municipality, a safe centre where they can feel at home in more ways than one and from where they can deliver programs and services for their community and beyond.”

Matthew Sims