A $2 million support package for Indonesia’s response to its second wave of COVID-19 is now being used to provide on-the-ground assistance.
The McGowan Government announced the Indonesian COVID-19 Crisis Relief Fund in August this year after daily cases reached almost 60,000.
Administered by the Office of Multicultural Interests within the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, the funding has been allocated as a one-off grant to support crisis relief initiatives in Indonesia.
The funding has now been provided to Kreasi Indonesia Inc., leading a consortium of 22 Western Australian Indonesian community associations and groups, who submitted a joint application for the grant.
Kreasi Indonesia will deliver the relief efforts through its charity partner, Save the Children Australia.
Funding will be used for a range of measures to fight the pandemic and support recovery in Indonesia following the impacts of the highly-contagious Delta variant.
More than 11,000 Western Australians were born in Indonesia or have Indonesian ancestry, with many having family and friends affected by the pandemic.
As stated by Citizenship and Multicultural Interests Minister Tony Buti:
“Western Australia has strong economic, cultural and person-to-person links with Indonesia, and it is important that we do what we can to support the Indonesian community during these incredibly difficult times.
“This $2 million support funding will provide essential on-the-ground assistance to badly affected communities and assist in their recovery.
“The McGowan Government will continue to support and collaborate with the WA Indonesian community to ensure successful delivery of this funding in Indonesia within the next three months.”
