Councils across New South Wales are delivering projects to strengthen community connection and overcome hate, racism and discrimination at a local level, thanks to the latest round of the NSW Social Cohesion Grants for Local Government. Under the $800,000 program, seven metropolitan and six regional councils will consult with their communities to elevate local voices and shape each council’s response to hate, racism and discrimination. When social cohesion is undermined, communities are less resilient and division grows. The program responds directly to those concerns, supporting councils to deliver practical solutions and reinforce that hate, racism and discrimination have no place in NSW, particularly in the wake of rising community tensions observed in recent years.
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Each project is locally designed and led to reflect the needs of specific communities, with many supporting the development of local anti-racism strategies and other long-term initiatives to build more inclusive communities. In Willoughby, council will facilitate a youth-led project across council areas along the Metro Line to build shared connection and address racism, misinformation and social division through guided engagements. In Lake Macquarie, accessible training will build the skills and confidence of community members to prevent, respond to and report racial discrimination. Since launching in 2021, the NSW Social Cohesion Grants program has delivered more than $2.7 million to 21 local governments, reaching diverse communities from western Sydney to regional centres.
Minister for Multiculturalism Steve Kamper said: “Our communities are made stronger by our diverse faiths, backgrounds, and cultures. It’s vital that we do everything we can to ensure our differences are respected and seen as the strengths that they are.” “No one should be made to feel like they do not belong in our state,” he said. “Creating a safe and inclusive environment for every person, and every family, is a duty that we all share.” Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig said councils play an important role in bringing people together and helping create places where everyone feels they belong. The grant program is part of a broader state government commitment to social cohesion, which includes funding for community festivals, interfaith dialogues and multicultural media.
