Sri Lankan for Victorian Parliament – Virosh Perera –
Contributed by Marie Pietersz, Melbourne
“With the Victorian State Elections to be held on Saturday, 24 November 2018, it is important that you know your Candidate and what he/she stands for making a difference in shaping Victoria,” Virosh says.
Virosh Perera is a proud Australian from a multicultural background, and honoured to be the Liberal candidate for Dandenong. Virosh is seeking your vote and has this message for the constituents of the City of Greater Dandenong about his political platform and what he can do for you and for the State of Victoria if elected.
“It’s a great honour and a privilege to be your Liberal Candidate in Dandenong; the 5th biggest city in Victoria, where I started my new life in Australia nearly two decades ago.
“I was born in a country town in Sri Lanka called Moratuwa and then moved to UK to complete my postgraduate studies. I started serving the community at the age of 10 at the local church.
“Current policies in Victoria have resulted in rising drug-fuelled crime, punishing cost of living, including electricity prices, congested roads, inadequate public transport and loss of local jobs caused by anti-business policies. As lecturer and entrepreneur, Virosh understands the importance of our children getting a good education and having policies which encourage businesses to employ.
“As a community Advocate, I would like to make difference in the lives of people.
“I was Born in Sri Lanka, Bred in the United Kingdom and Made in Australia.
“When I moved to Melbourne, my first job was as a sales person for Telstra – door knocking. At the same time, my desire was to establish a business, so I remained connected with my roots, which saw my former partner, Geethika, and I started Serendib News in 2000, the first free Sri Lankan newspaper in Australia. The newspaper soon became the backbone for the Serendib Awards, a platform to honour and acknowledge the people who make up the numerous hard-working Multicultural Communities, especially Indians, Fijians, Bangladeshi, Sudanese, Nigerian, Vietnamese, Afghanis, Turkish, Pakistanis, Iranians, Iraqis, Cambodian, Chinese, and others, in this wonderful country.
“Through all these initiatives there were so many opportunities to serve the community and to become an advocate for issues including domestic violence, community integration and of course employment opportunities.
“To support these initiatives, I have lobbied government agencies, charities, Councillors and local government, State Government and even the Federal Government of the day. In addition, I became a Community Ambassador for the AFL, Cricket Australia, Melbourne Stars, the Commonwealth Games, Real Madrid and more, ensuring that multicultural Victoria is considered when it comes to garnering its support and engagement for Sport as a catalyst to nurture and grow young migrants and to integrate them further into the general community.
“I am currently Director Diversity at the South Asian Link Group, a platform for the celebration of culture, diversity and inclusion among multicultural Victorians. As a Head of the Business faculty for the Australian Education Academy in Springvale, I lecture International students in the areas of Business Marketing and Management and offer Career Counselling, Consulting and Mentoring for a range of constituents.
“I am currently involved with a real estate start-up, which is aiming to be next the big innovation in real estate apps in Australia.
“My experience in the community and business world spans 20 years and over three continents.
“I see myself as making a difference to my own child’s future in the areas of Safety, Education and timely Infrastructure and playing a role in making Dandenong even more liveable for our diverse community and preserving it for the future of our children’s children.
“Let’s walk the path with me to make a difference in Victoria especially for the City of Greater Dandenong and endeavour to make this the most vibrant, multicultural Municipality in the world where our differences are nurtured, celebrated and supported.”
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Please note if you are an Australian citizen, 18 years and over, you must enrol to vote and be on the Electoral Roll by 6 November. It is compulsory that you vote in the Victorian State Elections. There are a range of options for casting your vote to have your say and make a difference.
