Luke Simpkins (Cowan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes that it has been 40 years since the Vietnamese began coming to Australia and their arrival has been defined by:

(a) successful settlement;

(b) positive integration; and

(c) their assistance with the development of the Australian economy through their hard work and dedication;

(2) acknowledges the positive influence in Australia of the Vietnamese-Australian people from:

(a) the Vietnamese Community Association;

(b) the Vietnamese parishes of the Catholic Church;

(c) the Vietnamese Free Buddhist Church;

(d) other religious groups; and

(e) clubs and other service providers; and

(3) commends the Vietnamese-Australian community for its dedication to Australia and determination to provide opportunities and success for Vietnamese-Australian families.

Tonight in the Main Committee room the Vietnamese community of Australia is holding a reception to commemorate 40 years of Vietnamese migration to Australia. From the terrible tragedy of the fall of the Republic of Vietnam on 30 April 1975, a mass refugee escape took place as the brutal and vindictive regime in Hanoi took revenge on their enemies. Re-education camps, outright imprisonment, disappearances and murder were all hallmarks of the threat that made so many Vietnamese refugees flee. More than one million escaped and an estimated 400,000 were lost at sea. That was a continuation of the tragedy with the fall of the democratic dream on 30 April 1975. Refugee camps were established in places like Hong Kong and Malaysia in particular.

It was in April 1976 that Vietnamese refugees first arrived by boat in Darwin. Over five years a total of 2,100 arrived by boat, but the vast majority was resettled out of refugee camps in Asia. To make the point with these numbers: the 1976 census said there were 2,427 Vietnamese in Australia and in the 1981 census the number was up to 41,096; in the 1991 national census, 124,800 people born in Vietnam were resident in Australia and in 2001 there were 154,000; and the 2011 census indicated that 185,000 people born in Vietnam were resident in Australia and 219,000 spoke Vietnamese at home. In Cowan there are more than 5,000 people who are of Vietnamese heritage, and I am pleased to have spoken of their behalf on more than 30 occasions in this parliament. I have been to Vietnam twice; however, given my speeches have been critical of the government in Hanoi, I have not been able to get another visa for the past three years.

In this motion I talk about the successful settlement and positive integration of Vietnamese Australians' and their contribution to the development of the Australian economy. This is, of course, all very true; I see it across every part of the Cowan electorate. In Western Australia, Vietnamese people are wonderful entrepreneurs. They own and create very effective businesses. All of the independent bakeries and the fingernail, manicure and pedicure shops are all Vietnamese owned. In fact, the Summerfield Shopping Centre in Girrawheen, and a lot of the Newpark Shopping Centre, are full of Vietnamese-owned shops. Beyond their very strong retail contribution to business, there are many Vietnamese involved in horticulture in and around Cowan. I will also make mention of the Vietnamese Farmers Association president, Thang Van Le, of Gnangara and acknowledge the wonderful contribution he has made to WA.

During my visits to Vietnam, I could see that Vietnamese people know how to work hard. That same attitude is evident here in Australia. First-generation Vietnamese Australians have established successful family businesses and farms, achieving success through determination to succeed. Now, increasingly, the next generation have been defined by increasing numbers of professionals, and I see more and more doctors, pharmacists and other tertiary educated graduates.

The Vietnamese people have a determined and entrepreneurial spirit that thrives in the free enterprise environment here in Australia. It is a great combination. I also pay tribute to the community and religious leadership of Vietnamese Australians. The President of the Vietnamese Community in Australia is Mr Vo Tri Dung. In Western Australia I thank the President of the Vietnamese Community Dr Nguyen Anh Dung for his outstanding and wise leadership. His clarity of thought and dedication to the Vietnamese community have seen the creation of the magnificent Vietnamese Boat People Monument of Gratitude in the rightly named Liberty Park in the town of Vincent. I also acknowledge the outstanding leadership of the Vietnamese Buddhist community by the venerable Thich Phuoc Nhon. He is a great religious leader, and his drive for the Buddhists all the way around Australia is well noted. I also acknowledge the great efforts of Mr Huynh Ngoc Hung, President of the Vietnamese Senior Association in WA; Fr Pham Mong Huynh, Vietnamese Catholic Church WA; Mr Nguyen Van Thanh, President of the Republic of Vietnam Veterans' Association of Australia; Mr Doan Viet Trung, Secretary of the Protect the Vietnamese Workers Committee; and Dr Nguyen Do Thanh Phong, spokesperson for Viet Tan.

Five minutes is not long enough to really acknowledge the Vietnamese community in Australia. So many have made such great contributions. But I think it is important to say that they came here under circumstances of great adversity, but from that adversity Australia has greatly benefited by the contribution that they have made. They are great people and great Australians, and I certainly thank them for their efforts for this country both over the last 40 years and in the future, because they have made great contributions and they will continue to do so.

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