Media Releases

COVID-19 outbreak at St. Basil’s Aged Care facility

23 July 2020

Dear FECCA friends,

I plead with you and urge you to ensure Government health directions are strictly followed in light of the outbreak of COVID-19 at St Basil’s Homes for the Aged in Melbourne’s north.

Dear FECCA friends,

I plead with you and urge you to ensure Government health directions are strictly followed in light of the outbreak of COVID-19 at St Basil’s Homes for the Aged in Melbourne’s north.

The St Basil’s Homes facility operates under the auspices of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and cares for 150 residents. Fifty-one cases of COVID-19 had been recorded in the aged care home Tuesday, up from 13 the day before. These are alarming numbers for the Greek community and we must prepare and be vigilant to avoid similar outbreaks elsewhere.

Infection control protocols at the facility are being reviewed and strengthened by health authorities. All Aged Care facilities with an active case of COVID-19 are receiving support from the Australian Government (Department of Health and Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission), including a single case manager, access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), testing in residential aged care facilities, and access to surge workforce and supplementation.

The outbreak shows the need to reinforce guidelines, especially for those who are vulnerable or in contact with vulnerable people.

Please encourage your family and friends to observe the following:

  1. Practice physical distancing, especially around the elderly
  2. If you are unwell, stay at home and get tested for COVID-19
  3. If you are ordered to self-isolate, you must complete the full 14 day isolation
  4. Wear a mask or face covering

If community members have challenges accessing services for older persons, Older Peoples Advocacy Network (OPAN) can help to advocate on their behalf. Our Victorian member the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria (ECCV) will also be able to help.

Everyone has a responsibility to ensure our communities stay safe. Thank you for looking after our most vulnerable in the community and for heeding the advice from health authorities.

Sincerely,
Mary Patetsos
Chairperson

Useful resources:

FECCA welcomes new SBS Chair appointment, George Savvides AM

9 July 2020

The Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia has welcomed the appointment of George Savvides AM as the new Chair of SBS, and looks forward to the continuing growth of a public broadcaster that ensures the nation’s diversity is seen, heard and celebrated.

The Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia has welcomed the appointment of George Savvides AM as the new Chair of SBS, and looks forward to the continuing growth of a public broadcaster that ensures the nation’s diversity is seen, heard and celebrated.

Announced today by the Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts, Paul Fletcher MP, Mr Savvides’ appointment is the culmination of his work in ensuring SBS serves our multicultural society, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, as Deputy Chair from 2017 and more recently as Acting Chair.

“At a highly charged time in which diversity is prominently within the public discourse, Mr Savvides understands the importance of representing the disparate voices and faces and stories of Australians on TV, radio and online,” FECCA Chair Mary Patetsos said.

FECCA has partnered with SBS on many initiatives that have assisted culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and that support will continue.

“SBS reflects a diverse and enriched country and the services provided by SBS are vitally important to people from multicultural backgrounds,” Ms Patetsos said.

“Mr Savvides appointment will ensure the media organisation continues to entertain, inform and serve Australians.”

FECCA is the national peak body representing Australians from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Our role is to advocate and promote issues on behalf of our constituency to government, business and the broader community. 

Contact:  media@fecca.org.au

NEDA and FECCA to deliver NDIS Community Connectors Program to CALD Communities

2 July 2020

The National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA) and the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) are pleased to be working with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to implement a component of the National Community Connector Program (NCCP).

FECCA and NEDA are among the organisations selected to roll out the new outreach program, focusing on connecting people with disability from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

The National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA) and the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) are pleased to be working with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to implement a component of the National Community Connector Program (NCCP).

FECCA and NEDA are among the organisations selected to roll out the new outreach program, focusing on connecting people with disability from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

We are hopeful that through this program, we can engage and encourage CALD Australians with disability to apply for and seek support through the NDIS. We know there is an opportunity to increase the number of CALD Australians with disabilities accessing the NDIS, and this program will help with that.

The program works with local NGOs and community organisations to place staff who are connected to people in CALD communities around Australia where there is the greatest need for support among people with disabilities.

Mary Patetsos, Chairperson of FECCA says she is encouraged and hopes the Community Connectors Program can make a difference to the lives of CALD people with disabilities.

“I thank the Government for working with FECCA and NEDA to address the specific needs of CALD communities in accessing the NDIS and through this program we hope we can make a difference.” Ms Patetsos said.

Margherita Coppolino, NEDA President stated that the Community Connectors program is ‘an important program for CALD people with disability as many of our members are faced with additional barriers to understanding, accessing and utilising NDIS supports’, “I am very excited about our new project and collaborating with FECCA, another major peak body for multicultural Australians. This program will facilitate real change in some of the most vulnerable and marginalised communities in our society,” Ms Coppolino said.

FECCA will be responsible for the engagement of subcontractors in Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia and the Northern Territory, while NEDA will be managing the program in New South Wales, Western Australia and the ACT.

We invite suitably qualified not-for-profit organisations who have a demonstrated history of providing quality support to culturally and linguistically diverse Australians, and their communities, to submit an expression of interest.

More information on the expression of interest can be found on NEDA’s website or FECCA’s website.

Media contacts

  • NEDA: Hema Mangad – 0422 126 587; comms@neda.org.au
  • FECCA: David Russell – 0434 307 012; media@fecca.org.au