Let's talk about migration

My name is Kevin Dumisani Kapeke. I was born and raised in Zimbabwe and I migrated to Australia just as I completed primary school.

I come in peace!

Recently, my local member of parliament, Maria Vamvakinou, Deputy Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration, challenged me and a few other students to create the Calwell Youth Committee. This committee would be responsible for reaching out to migrant communities that are under-represented within our electorate. The first country we chose was Zimbabwe. Migrants from Zimbabwe currently make up less than 1% of the electorate's population, however this is changing as development continues in the north of the electorate. We organised a forum where migrants got the chance to tell their stories of migration, upbringing and settlement in Australia. The speakers ranged in age, experience and upbringing and we all effective in relaying a case for why Zimbabweans are good for Australia.

Maria makes an important point about how we haven't won the case for immigration. sometimes we get close, then we lose it and the cycle repeats again.