Media Release, 21 October 2011
Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs Senator Kate Lundy today addressed the inaugural meeting of Cricket Australia’s (CA) Multicultural Cricket Reference Group (MCRG) in Melbourne. The MCRG will provide advice about meeting the diverse needs of Australia’s population as part of CA’s objective of ensuring cricket is a sport for all Australians. It includes prominent members of Australia’s multicultural communities as well as CA representatives.
Senator Lundy provided the MCRG with an insight into Federal Government multicultural policy recommendations and emphasised the deep alignment between sport and multicultural policy. MCRG member and CA General Manager Game Development Damien de Bohun said CA is committed to serving the diverse needs of Australia’s population. “Australia’s diversity is one of our country’s great strengths and our aim is to ensure that people from all communities have the opportunity to play cricket and enjoy its associated health and social benefits,” Mr de Bohun said. “The MCRG enables us to hear the voices of members of the communities we are dedicated to serving and this provides invaluable guidance for Cricket Australia as we continue our drive to ensure that cricket is a sport for all Australians.”
Multicultural Cricket Reference Group Members: Trevor O’Hoy (Chairman) (CA Director), Waleed Aly (Academic), Pino Migliorino – (Chair, Federation of Ethnic Communities Council of Australia (FECCA)), Paula Ward (Know the Game), Hass Dellal (Executive Director, Australian Multicultural Foundation), Ravi Bhatia (former CEO, iPrimus), Sam Almaliki (President, Sydney Junior Winter Cricket), Damien de Bohun – (CA) and Juhi McInerney (CA).
