MULTICULTURAL CHAMBER LAUNCHES TO CONNECT COMMUNITIES, BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT AND THE NEXT GENERATION
Small business owners, community leaders, distinguished guests and emerging entrepreneurs have come together in Parramatta to mark the official launch of the Australian Multicultural Community & Business Chamber (AMCBC).
The brainchild of multicultural community leader Brian Laul, the Chamber has been established as a collaborative body bringing together the people, organisations and ideas shaping multicultural New South Wales, while building stronger connections between community, business, government and industry.
The launch was attended by NSW Premier Chris Minns, who spoke about the potential of the Chamber to support multicultural business owners and emerging entrepreneurs.
In his address, Minns referenced a recent survey by Business NSW, which found not only that small businesses and entrepreneurs were most likely to be found in western Sydney, but also that the people starting these small businesses were most likely to be newly arrived migrants, or second-generation Australians.
“What I hope this business chamber will do, is see experienced businessmen and women grab younger people, young entrepreneurs, and mentor them,” he shared.
“Show them the shortcuts, tell them, ‘This is how you make payroll’, explain to them how to deal with the complicated New South Wales government. But, more importantly, what I hope you do is be able to say to the next generation, ‘It’s going to be okay. If you put your head down and keep working hard, you’ll get through these tough times, and you’ll build a business that you’ll be proud of in the future.
“It’s an under-appreciated but hugely important part of our community and society, and knowing a lot of the people in the room tonight like I do, I know that you are mentors. I know that you care about your communities. And, I know you’ll do right by the next generations.”
Laul, himself a small business owner, said collaboration and advocacy would be central to the Chamber’s work.
“We all have the same problems, and, most of us, we share the same ambitions. We have the same struggles,” he said.
“But if we get together and learn from each other, and raise our voice together, how much stronger would that be? And how much stronger would we all be by it?”
Laul said that the vision behind the AMCBC is “to create a place where community, business, government and industry intersect — and where connections turn into something practical.”
Ronna Guzman, Co-Founder and Vice President of the AMCBC, highlighted the importance of building stronger relationships between community, business and government.
“Ultimately, community, business and government do not exist in isolation,” she said.
“They are part of the same ecosystem and when one becomes stronger, there is an opportunity for all of us to become stronger, also.”
Guzman said this was particularly significant within Australia’s multicultural communities.
“That entrepreneurial spirit makes an enormous contribution to Australia. But, our responsibility now is to not simply celebrate diversity – it’s to connect it,” she added.
The Chamber also acknowledged the strong support of Donna Davis MP, Member for Parramatta and Nathan Hagarty MP, Member for Leppington, who attended the launch and welcomed its focus on supporting multicultural businesses, developing young entrepreneurs and strengthening connections across Western Sydney’s diverse communities.
The event also saw the launch of the Multicultural Young Entrepreneurs Awards, which AMCBC Senior Director Abdul Khan Ratan said would be an important initiative of the Chamber moving forward.
“We want to identify promising young entrepreneurs and celebrate what they’re achieving, connect them with experienced business and community leaders, and provide them with the mentoring, networks and encouragement they need to take their ideas even further,” he shared.
Young entrepreneurs across industries including fashion, entertainment and technology were recognised on the night.
The Multicultural Young Entrepreneurs Awards will become an annual event, supported by a mentoring program connecting emerging entrepreneurs with experienced business and community leaders.
Through its broader work, the AMCBC will create opportunities for multicultural communities and businesses to connect beyond their existing networks, build capability, collaborate across cultures and industries, and contribute to the economic and social future of New South Wales.
ENDS
For further details or additional photographs contact:
Brian Laul 0412 581 395 | brianlaul@hotmail.com
