Council employs new Multicultural Officer

Monday 13 May 2019

Inner West Council is pleased to announce that the highly experienced Aniela Pepe has been appointed as its new Multicultural Officer.

The Multicultural Officer is a newly created role at Inner West Council, with a focus on addressing key issues impacting upon multicultural communities. Ms Pepe will also help implement key initiatives outlined in Council’s recently adopted Multicultural Policy.

Councillor Sam Iskandar said the appointment of Ms Pepe will help with the full and rapid implementation of all elements of Council’s Multicultural Policy.

“The Inner West values its local identity and remains very proud of its diversity,” he said.

“We want to continue to celebrate this unique community of people,” said Councillor Iskandar.

“I’d like to thank the community groups who played a vital role in helping us develop our new Multicultural Policy. I’d also like to say a big thank you to Mayor Byrne for his advocacy and support on this initiative.”

Some key policy elements that the Multicultural Officer will work on include:

• Overseeing and supporting the Multicultural Grants Program.
• Establishing an Inter-Faith Reference Group to inform Council decision-making.
• Ensuring Council information is available and easily accessible in community languages.
• Working with the Multicultural Advisory committee to provide Council with best practice knowledge for working with cultural and linguistically diverse communities.

Ms Pepe has previously worked as a Multicultural Officer at local government level with a focus on strengthening social cohesion and community inclusion.

She has also worked for a peak body for refugee and migrant settlement in Australia, and as a youth worker and case worker in Western Sydney.

Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne said the appointment of a Multicultural Officer has given ethnic communities a new and powerful voice at Inner West Council.

“The Inner West is the birthplace of multiculturalism in Australia.

“The microcosm that we have built here is an example to the world that people from every continent on earth can live in mutual respect,” he said.

“Together, we need to make sure the voices of people from non-English speaking backgrounds are always heard in Council’s decision-making spaces,” said Mayor Byrne.

“I congratulate Aniela Pepe on her appointment and look forward to working with her on celebrating our unique and diverse community.”

Council’s Multicultural Officer, Aniela Pepe, can be contacted at (02) 9392 5279 and aniela.pepe@innerwest.nsw.gov.au.