Team Wood has reaffirmed the importance of supporting Melbourne’s communities with a diverse calendar of events celebrating multicultural, multifaith and global dates.
Addressing a community forum at Saras Care in Docklands, which support Melbourne’s Diwali event, Lord Mayoral Candidate Arron Wood announced plans to increase funding for The Melbourne Diwali Festival, if elected in October.
The Melbourne Diwali Festival has been a platform for local businesses to thrive, providing significant economic benefits to the community. Local vendors and artisans have repeatedly expressed how the festival has allowed them to reach broader audiences and boost their sales. Testimonials from attendees also highlight the festival’s role in fostering multicultural understanding and appreciation.
Despite the success of the 2023 Diwali Festival, funding allocated to the 2024 event was cut and additional conditions imposed by the current Town Hall leadership, threatening the event’s success. While the City of Melbourne has now removed those conditions, Team Wood wants to provide certainty for the event for future years.
If elected, Team Wood will increase the funding allocation for the event, to a total package of $100,000. This includes funding the display of a ‘Happy Diwali’ sign and other appropriate decorations in the event precinct as well as assistance with event coordination from the in-house City of Melbourne events team.
“We know that events bring families and visitors into our city and give us an opportunity to showcase our vibrant communities, retailers and small businesses. By increasing our support for celebrations like Christmas and Diwali we are directly supporting our city’s economy,” said Wood.
“With close to 10,000 residents of Indian descent in the City of Melbourne at the last census, Team Wood is proud to support the Diwali Festival and recognises it’s significance to both the Indian community and to the vibrancy and cultural richness of Melbourne.”
By cutting the wasteful capital and operational spending of the current Town Hall leadership Team Wood is able to reallocate funding to our local communities and we look forward to making announcements supporting a diverse range of events throughout the calendar year.
Supporting quote from Anna Bhardwaj, CEO, Melbourne Diwali
“Melbourne is a global city. A global city needs global vision with local actions. We commend Team Wood for taking proactive measures to support diverse community activities like the Melbourne Diwali Festival. This is a positive start, and we hope it marks the beginning of even more meaningful engagement with our city’s rich tapestry of cultures. We look forward to seeing the new council embrace a more diverse and inclusive approach in all its actions.”
Shwetali Sawant, Founder of The Indian Bazaar
Mumbai’s Fashion Street at District Docklands has been a vital platform for our Indian women entrepreneurs to showcase their products and connect with a broader audience. The increased support from Team Wood would ensure that events like this continue to thrive, celebrating our rich cultural heritage while also boosting local businesses. We're proud to be part of such a vibrant community and look forward to the positive impact this could bring. The Indian Bazaar hosted at District Docklands in the City of Melbourne.
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