By Violet Li
A war-of-words has erupted over the Greens’ pledge to push for $20 million to establish a multipurpose Hazara Community Centre in the South East, with a Labor MP labelling the promise as “not real” and a “trick”.
Greens Senator Steph Hodgins-May announced during the long weekend that Greens would support the Hazara diaspora, and ensure they are provided places to celebrate their culture, connect and share with their community.
Greens candidate for Bruce Rhonda Garad told Star News that the details for the Hazara Community Centre had not been pinned down, but the Greens would fight very hard for the funding.
“We will sit down with the Hazara community and look at options about whether it’s a new site, whether it’s a refurbishment or another building. So those aspects will be worked out in tandem with the community,” she said.
Ms Garad emphasised that this was a firm commitment without any condition.
“The Greens have a long-term strong relationship with the Hazara community,” she said.
However, Bruce Labor MP Julian Hill said “what the Greens political party says about ‘$20 million’ is not real”.
“It is a trick. There is no land, no plan, no entity and no costings. There is no funding allocated,” he said.
“The Greens party just make things up in their imaginary government and fantasy budget to fool people.”
Mr Hill, who announced a $420,000 election pledge to expand the Hazara community’s Abu Talib Community Centre in Hallam, said he worked with “all parts of the community to support projects that are real”.
“Unlike the Liberals and the Greens political party, I will never seek to exploit differences in our community in a chase for votes,” he said.
Abu Talib Community Centre is a hub for the growing local Hazara community, offering a range of youth and family education programs, classes and a space for gatherings and religious services.
The funding from the Labor will support the centre to finish essential renovations.
According to Mr Hill, election commitments will be delivered in line with Commonwealth Grants Rules and Principles, consistent with past practice.
Greens candidate for Holt Payal Tiwari emphasised that the Greens would “push for” and make sure that commitments made during election time or any other time are actually being pushed for and allocated once someone does go into power.
“That’s what we’re saying. We’ll push for it, anything that any other MP says, we as Greens will be making sure that it actually gets done,” she said.
“We’re not there to just say random things. If you’ve pledged for something, we will be pushing hard for it.”
Ms Tiwari questioned why Mr Hill hadn’t allocated the funding for the Abu Talib community centre any time before this election period.
“If that was something that he could have done back whenever he was a sitting MP, why wasn’t it done previously? Why is it just coming out now?”
