Regional voice a resource for business council

THE State government’s Multicultural Business Ministerial Council has been enriched with a local representative’s perspective.

Dr Michael Akindeju, president of the Ballarat African Association and a principal consulting process engineer, will be an advocate for regional Victoria and the state’s diverse cultures within commerce.

Serving the current term until January 2023, Dr Akindeju is one of 14 people appointed, who will be sounding boards for the Minister for Small Business, Adem Somyrek, shaping policy development.

“I feel very privileged to have been called upon because in the past, it’s been largely people from metropolitan areas, so for someone like myself from a regional area, Ballarat, to be called, I’m very excited,” he said.

“I’m going to be a voice, not just for multicultural people and Africans, but for what’s happening in the Ballarat region, so it’s an opportunity to make a positive contribution to policy development.”

Sitting on the council will involve a few occasional visits to Melbourne and parliament, but it’s mostly a real chance for Dr Akindeju to celebrate his home city and community.

“My appointment speaks volumes for the African community in Victoria and Ballarat, in particular,” he said.

“To be called upon to serve in this capacity, it’s beginning to showcase maturity in terms of integration… There’s understanding now and the time has come for a visible presence of Africans in policy and policymaking.”