By Charlene Macaulay
A proposed Indian cultural precinct in Wyndham is back to square one after the state government disregarded a Wyndham council feasibility study into the project.
The state government has called on Wyndham’s Indian and South Asian community groups to apply for a share of $1 million to build new facilities, or improve or restore existing ones, as part of a new Multicultural Community Infrastructure Fund.
The $1 million in funding would go towards local projects such as Indian and South Asian community centres and temples in the 2018-19 financial year.
The funding comes more than two-and-a-half years after the state government allocated $50,000 for Wyndham council to conduct a feasibility study into an Indian precinct and $500,000 for its construction.
Following consultation with more than 700 people, Wyndham council recommended that a multicultural sculpture and performing arts park be constructed at President’s Park.
This process is now dead in the water with the state government turning to the community to apply for grants through the Multicultural Community Infrastructure Fund.
Wyndham mayor Peter Maynard said the council would have no involvement in the application process, or the allocation of funds, through the new grants process.
Wyndham cultural diversity portfolio holder Henry Barlow added: “My personal view is, as the cultural diversity portfolio holder and being the mayor last year, I had many people come in and many different groups coming to speak to me, seeking assistance to do a whole wide variety of things.
“To pick out, like the state government did, one particular group … well, that’s their decision, [but] it’s not the way this council operates.”
Point Cook resident Sudhir Juneja, who advocated for the precinct in 2015, questioned why the government gave Wyndham council money to conduct a feasibility study only to then launch the new fund.
“We have wasted two years,” Mr Juneja said.
