It's Deja Vu - All over again!

On a previous occasion I described the current Multicultural Interests Minister as the second worst I had had the displeasure of dealing with. I have now reassessed his ranking down further. My reasons are contained in this letter I sent The West Australian last night, The complete disrespect that he shows our sector is beyond belief. Here's the letter:

"31/03/2025

Part of the Public Sector reform that the Premier and Deputy Premier announced yesterday is positively frightening but unfortunately reflects the commitment (or lack thereof) to the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities. When Premier Gallop was in charge of this state he took the mantle of Multicultural Interests, recognising as we all do that this is a portfolio that would become increasingly relevant and important as we tried to integrate communities across the world into our patch of dirt here in WA. And under his stewardship we developed Multicultural Policy that was important and geared towards integrating into a harmonious whole, the “super” diversity that now exists here.

We moved away from the “Pasta and Polka” multiculturalism with its emphasis on song and dance routines from the sixties and started to look at Multicultural Interests as a human rights issue, viz. our right to practice our culture, speak our languages and practice our religions within the confines of Australian law.

Premier Cook, on the other hand has shifted Multicultural Interests into the Department of “Creative Industries, Tourism, Sport and Recreation and Multicultural Interests”. In other words, Multicultural Interests ceases to be a “policy” position within a department and song and dance routines within the “creative industries” will be paramount again

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This is indeed a sad indictment of this government’s approach to diversity and its management. But I shall certainly remain holding this government to account for its failings herein

Suresh Rajan