Media Release - AVWA welcomes the Premier of Victoria, Hon. Jacinta Allan to the Springvale Office
The Honourable Premier of Victoria, Jacinta Allan has only been in her role for just over a month, but she took the time out to join her Labour colleagues to visit AVWA’s Springvale Office today. Joining the Premier was Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Ageing and Mental Health Ingrid Stitt, and Eden Foster who has taken leave as the Mayor of the Greater City of Dandenong to represent Labour in the Mulgrave by-election on Saturday 18 November 2023.
Premier of Victoria Hon. Jacinta Allan and Labour candidate for Mulgrave by-election Eden Foster getting to know AVWA Playgroups in Springvale.
All three took the opportunity to spend time with AVWA staff and board members, and to speak with playgroups participants and students studying Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing and Disability).
“The Premier, the Minister and the Mayor-on-leave are all very welcome to visit us any time. They are inspiring leaders. Each of them demonstrates an understanding of the contribution of community service organisations like AVWA to strengthening the broader community. They understand how multiculturalism adds more than just vibrancy to the state of Victoria,” said AVWA CEO, Ms. Ngoc Nicky Chung.
Labour candidate for the Mulgrave by-election, Eden Foster, second from left with AVWA staff, Van Nguyen (left), Nhu Nguyen (third from left) and Tina Vo (right) at the Springvale facility at 8 Parsons Ave.
The three special guests in their speeches acknowledged the importance of projects such as AVWA’s proposed intergenerational facility, providing culturally appropriate residential aged care, adjacent to an early learning, childcare centre.
The Premier, the Minister, AVWA CEO, and AVWA President Mrs Cam Nguyen expressed support for Eden Foster as an active community leader, wishing her well for the Mulgrave by-election on Saturday 18 November. Eden Foster has attended many Vietnamese community events. “Eden is a great candidate that demonstrates genuine care for multicultural communities,” said AVWA’s CEO.
Enrolled voters in Mulgrave District are reminded that voting is compulsory. Early voting opened today on Wednesday 8 November. https://www.vec.vic.gov.au/about-us/media/early-voting-opens-this-week-for-mulgrave-district-by-election
Staff pictured with AVWA CEO Ms Ngoc Nicky Chung (back row, fifth from left), (then L-R) Minster Ingrid Stitt, Mayor-on-leave Eden Foster, AVWA Founder and President Cam Nguyen, Premier Jacinta Allan, and Thanh-Kham Tran-Dang, AVWA Vice-President.
AVWA employs 355 staff across Victoria to provide a range of services including Aged and Disability Care, Social Support Groups including Dementia Support, bilingual/bicultural counselling services, playgroups and training in aged, disability and childcare. AVWA was established in 1983. AVWA is dedicated to its mission to improve health, happiness and wellbeing for individuals and families.
The Springvale facility was built with the assistance of the Labour government’s Multicultural Community Infrastructure Grant and opened recently in 2022 by the former Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews.
