What is our Role in the Maltese Community.

MCC Profile

The MCC of NSW is the umbrella body of 16 associations ( as per letterhead ), three of which have their own premises/clubhouses. The MCC is composed of delegates from each of the affiliated associations with equal voting rights. Delegates meet regularly every month and discuss issues affecting the Maltese Community in NSW as a whole. The office bearers are elected every year from among the delegates and nominations are submitted by the affiliated associations. 

One primary aim of the Council is to assist the affiliated associations in delivering their various services to the Community.

The Council holds two major functions each year – a celebration of Australia Day on the Sunday before or after Australia Day and the Remembrance of Sette Giugno on the Sunday closest to 7 June.  Sette Giugno is one of Malta's five national feast days and remembers the victims of the insurrection against the British in 1919. It is regarded as the start of the road to independence from Britain. 

With the assistance of a grant from the Community Relations Commissions of NSW,  the Council provides a part time welfare service to the Community conducted from various locations close to where the need exists. 

The Council conducts the Maltese Language School in NSW which currently operates from two campuses in two locations in Sydney. The Council regards the School as a vital means of maintaining the Maltese language and culture in Australia.

Within the Inner West Neighbour Aid, the Council conducts a home visitation scheme for isolated Maltese elderly persons. Home visits are undertaken by delegates and other members of the Maltese Community. 

For a number of years the Council has organized citizenship ceremonies for those Maltese persons wanting to become Australian citizens. These ceremonies are held in a dignified way and stress the importance of Australian citizenship highlighting the benefits and responsibilities. 

The Council keeps the Community informed of community events, activities and services in NSW and developments in Malta through a weekly radio program. The program is conducted on a voluntary basis on community radio station 2 GLF 89.3FM, every Sunday at 11.00am.  

Over the years the Council has taken the initiative in many issues affecting the well being of the Maltese Community in Australia including the Dual Citizenship for migrants, the children of migrants and more recently for grand children of migrants. The campaign for Dual citizenship was started by a call for Dual Citizenship in a petition to all the Members of the Maltese Parliament in 1974.  Various other approaches and media campaigns followed till the grant to migrants in 1989,  to children of migrants in 2000 and to all  applicants of unbroken Maltese descent in 2007. 

The Council also played an important role in the introduction of the reciprocal working holiday agreement between Australia and Malta and played a pivotal part in the negotiations for the Reciprocal Social Security Agreement. 

 
 What is the Maltese Community providing:

1.      A fully-functioning Centre with rooms available for meetings, with a library. Computer facilities and a
 permanent exhibition of Maltese arts and crafts.  Archival facilities available for all associations to store their history.

2.      Computer classes for the elderly, every Friday

3.      A weekly radio program, Sunday at 11am on 2GLF 89.3FM    
         or go to website : www.893fm.com.au - on demand  (click  ethnic,   then Maltese Council 11am.

4.      Maltese language and culture class through our Maltese Language School of NSW with campuses at          Seven Hill, Horsley Park and Schofield.

5.      Daycare facilities for Elderly groups.

6.      The availability of a welfare worker to assist with Maltese groups at various localities in Sydney.

7.      Welfare assistance & referral service from our Maltese Resource Centre located at 59b Franklin Street   

          Mays Hill (next to West Parramatta Primary School).

The current office bearers of the MCC of NSW are  

	President	Emanuel Camilleri
	Secretary	Miriam Friggieri
	Treasurer	George Bartolo
	PRO	Charles  Mifsud
	Assistant Secretary	Tony Pace-Feraud
	Assistant Treasurer	Patrick Bartolo
	Vice President	Mark Caruana