Funding towards production of ethnic 'welcome' signs

16/3/94

A Vietnamese child care co-ordinator is doing her best to make Multicultural Week a hospitable one for migrant families.

Miss Emily Thai has supervised the production of 'welcome' signs in 30 different languages.

Some 200 sets of the signs will be sent to child care centres, libraries, hospitals and similar service facilities.

"This will give non-English speaking people some reassurance when they visit these places," Miss Thai said.

The Minister for Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs, Graham Kierath, presented a cheque for $800 to the Ethnic Child Care Resource Unit in Subiaco where Miss Thai and her staff are producing the signs.

The chairman of the centre, Dr Dawn Butterworth, of the Early Childhood Department, Edith Cowan University, received the grant which was one of 23 approved by the Minister.

Mr Kierath said more than $33,000 was being dispersed to ethnic organisations in the current round of grants.

Applications had already been called for next year.

Mr Kierath had some special words of praise for Miss Thai.

"Emily Thai typifies the determination of many migrants," he said.

"She was stranded in Australia with little money when the Saigon government collapsed, but she has worked hard to relocate her parents and other family members to Perth.

"Emily is like so many people of ethnic background making an outstanding contribution to Australian society."

Multicultural Week starts next Sunday.

Media contact:  Brian Coulter 222 9595 / 481 2133