NSW Community Engagement Update – 21 May 2021

Home Affairs Special community update

Dear Community Representatives, thank you again for your engagement and efforts to support your communities through this time. Please find below media release to support our tourism and hospitality sectors and the Humanitarian Program Discussion Paper. We have also included other upcoming events and opportunities in this newsletter for you to pass to your communities.

More Support for Tourism and Hospitality Sectors

The Government recognizes the importance of the tourism and hospitality sector to Australia’s economy and is listening to feedback from the sector.
To further support the recovery of Australian industries, the Government has agreed to relax work conditions for international students working in the tourism and hospitality sector.
This measure is in response to the industry’s concerns about critical labour shortages impeding the sector’s post-COVID 19 recovery.
The border restrictions have seen a decline in temporary migrants onshore, including international students who traditionally fill tourism and hospitability roles.
This measure is temporary and in place to assist the sector in recovery from the exceptional circumstances of the pandemic.
In addition to flexibility for Student visa holders, the Government announced that the COVID-19 Pandemic Event visa will be available to temporary visa holders in Australia, if they are employed or have a job offer in the tourism and hospitality sectors.
- The arrangements will allow foreign tourism and hospitality workers to extend their stay in Australia by up to 12 months.
- Over 20,000 Pandemic Event visas have been granted since it was established supporting key sectors of the Australian economy through COVID-19.

The media release announcing these changes has been published at:

More support for the Australian tourism and hospitality sector (homeaffairs.gov.au)

Humanitarian Program Discussion Paper

A discussion paper on the 2021-22 Humanitarian Program has been published on the Department of Home Affairs website at https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/reports-and-publications/submissions-and-discussion-papers/australia-humanitarian-program-2021-22.

It provides an overview of Australia’s Humanitarian Program and seeks the views of the Australian public on the management and composition of the Humanitarian Program in 2021–22.

If you would like to make a written submission, please email humanitarian.policy@homeaffairs.gov.au

Submissions close at 5pm on 28 May 2021.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Update: Less than 100 days to Census night 10 August 2021

The Census Website is now live!

Do you speak a language other than English and have experience working with culturally and linguistically diverse communities? Do you have experience working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities? Do you like talking to people, have good attention to detail and know your community well?

The ABS is looking for people who want to help others and support their community. If this is you, help tell your community’s story.

Apply now at https://www.census.abs.gov.au/ and see the attached Fact sheets regarding the 2021 Census Community Field Officer and Census culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) stakeholder information.

Healthy and Active Online (HALO)

HALO is a FREE 10 week Healthy Lifestyle program for older adults 60+ years and Aboriginal persons aged 45+ years. The program includes:

Web-based learning modules on exercise, healthy lifestyle and nutrition
Home-based exercise program and manual
Personal phone-coach to provide weekly support

This program is ideal for beginners who have not been participating in regular exercise programs and want to gain confidence in getting active. To participate in Healthy and Active Online, access to a computer or tablet with the internet and space to safely exercise at home is required. Medical clearance from a GP may be required, if you have a pre-existing condition.

Term 3 2021 will commence 5th July 2021. Registration closes 27th June 2021. Further information and registration for this program is via: https://www.activeandhealthy.nsw.gov.au/home/healthy-and-active-for-life-online/

Young people empower young people

City of Sydney’s global youth leaders, International student leadership and ambassador program (ISLA) have been working hard to present very exciting event for young people run by young people. They look forward to welcome youth leaders to attend the youth conference to inspire and collaborate.

Youth Leadership Conference 2021- Growth Mindset – Saturday 22 May 2021, online via Zoom

The Youth Leadership Conference aims to cultivate leadership, deepen cultural understanding and foster meaningful relationships among participants, whilst strengthening the relationship between future leaders and the City of Sydney.

The conference will focus on the Growth Mindset of Leadership and will provide a great opportunity for students to network with other local and international students from high schools, colleges and universities across Sydney.

This is a free online youth event, but tickets are limited, so if you are interested to attend, please book it via Eventbrite

FilmLife project to raise awareness about organ and tissue donation within multicultural communities

Three young diverse filmmakers, Rashmi Ravindran, Jin Hien Lau and Norah Masige, were provided FilmLife grants to produce films that encourage young people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to register for organ and tissue donation.

FilmLife is a joint initiative between the NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service (MHCS), NSW Organ and Tissue Donation Service (OTDS) and Western Sydney Local Health District with support from Diversity Arts Australia.

Films:

‘The Best Gift Ever’ documentary short-film interviewing kidney recipient Neha who raises awareness within South Asian communities. Directed by Rashmi Ravindran.
- English – Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

‘Alvin the Hero’ animated short-film explores organ and tissue donation registration within Asian families. Directed by Jin Hien Lau.

English – Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
Cantonese – Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
Mandarin – Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
Korean – Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
Vietnamese – Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

‘The Human Reorganiser’ documentary short-film explores organ and tissue donation registration myths within African-Australian communities. Directed by Norah Masige.

The film was successfully launched as part of the African-Australian FilmLife Community Forum 2021 in partnership with Western Sydney Local Health District Multicultural Health Service.
A film introductory summary will be released in the future. Visit their website for more information.

Filmmaker Profiles:

Rashmi Ravindran – Facebook | Twitter
Jin Hien Lau – Facebook | Twitter
Norah Masige – Facebook | Twitter

For more information about the FilmLife project, please visit their website.

Additional language films to come.

Ensuring we remain connected with your communities continues to be a high priority for the Department of Home Affairs and the Australian Government. Your feedback is vital to the Department and informs policy, decision making and government messaging. Please continue to pass your concerns and questions to us.

In particular, we are very interested in your views and feedback on the following: