Anthony Byrne (Holt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to provide an update on the enormous contribution that is made to my electorate and to our country by the Indian community. In Australia there is a rapidly growing Indian community and this is true in my electorate of Holt. According to the 2011 census, approximately 295,000 people living in Australia were born in India and there are about 390,000 people of Indian ancestry. In 2011 those migrating from India were the largest source of permanent migration to Australia, forming 15.7 per cent of the total migration program in 2011-12, whilst according to the 2011 census there were 11,116 people of Indian ancestry residing in my federal electorate of Holt.

We see the contribution that the Indian community make in so many forms, be it in the fields of science, medicine, law—you name it. These people who have come to our country have made an enormous contribution to our country in so many different ways. You see the richness and the vibrancy of their culture and festivals like the Holi festival at the Carrum Downs temple, or the Diwali festival, the festival of lights, which will be held in October this year. I celebrate those events with the community at the Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple in Carrum Downs.

If we are looking at a particular grouping that has made a very, very successful transition from their country to Australia, you would put the Indian community right of top in terms of the contribution they have made. The other thing I would like to point out is not just the fields of science and medicine but the area of small business. There are a number of people I want to mention who have made a contribution in my area. There is Harry Singh from Hampton Park, who is the owner of the India Bazaar International. This company opened 15 years ago in Dandenong and is one of the biggest grocery stores in Melbourne.

Sudesh Singh is the owner of a number of Indian clothing stores in Dandenong in an area called Little India, which includes Little India Fashionz, which specialises in selling saris and other items. There is Megh Singh Yadav from Lynbrook, who established one of the biggest sweet stores in Melbourne. There is Harjap Singh from Narre Warren, who opened Josan Motors in Hallam last year.

They are just some of the people. Each of their stories of coming from different places has now become the Australian story. Each of those small business people I have mentioned have taken the risk of establishing a small business and they are showing the courage, energy and initiative that is required to continue to create employment and employment opportunities in this country. As I said, I have the great privilege of interacting quite frequently with the community. I congratulate them on the wonderful contribution they are they are making to our country.

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