Amongst the jubilant scenes of Diwali, Victoria’s Labor Party announced the biggest gift in the history of the Indian-Australian community.

Daniel Andrews, Leader of the Victorian Labor made a historic announcement at Federation Square to create an Indian Cultural Precinct to recognise and consecrate the contribution that the communities of the subcontinent make to Melbourne. The precinct will add another page to Melbourne’s reputation as the multicultural capital of Australia.

The location of the precinct will be determined after a full consultation and master-planning process is undertaken in the first term of government. With this announcement Daniel Andrews said,“Victoria’s Indian community is Australia’s largest, butdoesn’t have a precinct to call its own. I believe something is missing. The Greek community celebrate in Lonsdale Street, there is Chinatown on Little Bourke, Lygon Street is richly Italian and the Vietnamese have Little Saigon in Footscray – Melbourne will now have an Indian cultural precinct as well.This will be a place to hold festivals, a hub to support businesses,a drawcard to attract tourists – it will be a meeting place for the entire community.

Labor will undertake a process to find the most appropriate location and layout after consultation with the South Asian communities. On this historic announcement Daniel Andrews was accompanied by his Senior Adviser,JasvinderSidhu, Members of Parliament Hong Lim, Marsha Thomson and Jude Perera.

Dr. Rattan an eminent social worker said, “Daniel Andrews will be remembered by generations for this great contribution to Indian community”. Many other community leaders and general community members have expressed great joy and satisfaction on this decision.