Julia Banks (Chisholm, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to proudly speak to this motion because, in my electorate of Chisholm, over 130 languages other than English are spoken everyday. Indeed, just under half of all households speak a language other than English. People come from China, India, Greece, Italy, Korea, Bangladesh and Japan, to name a few. Chisholm is a fine microcosm of Australia in its reflection of diversity and language, which is so deeply connected to culture. As the member for Hindmarsh just reflected, it only takes a few words of greeting to someone in their mother language and connection is established. Like the member for Hindmarsh, I have had the honour, quite often, of sitting on the stage and you see that connection in the faces when you say a few words in a mother language.

As a young child, I attended Greek school in Oakleigh. This was for the prime purpose so that I could speak Greek to my grandmother because, as a family, we only ever spoke English in the home, being second-generation Australian. Learning French through to my senior student years was also an incredible asset in my early career and travels. The ability to speak another language is such an incredible asset, and none more so than in this great country. I'm so incredibly proud that in Chisholm we have the highest number of Mandarin speakers than any other electorate in Australia. Indeed, we have 23,327 constituents who are of Chinese heritage, and thousands of people in Chisholm, be they first, second or third generation Australian speak a language other than English, and it is so important to preserve that skill and ability.

On 21 February, we will observe International Mother Language Day. Now in its 18th year, this day serves to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and recognises the importance of being multilingual. Research has proven that learning another language at an early age aids in development and promotes greater reading, writing and numeracy skills, as well as equipping children with important values and knowledge that are passed down through generations. Language is deeply connected to culture, identity and history, and as languages slowly fade out, traditions and memories are at risk of disappearing too. Some parents encourage their children to learn English as their first language in an effort to give them a head start at school; however, this can have the counter risk of distancing the child from their cultural heritage. Certainly, when I go to cultural events in my electorate of Chisholm, often in front of vast audiences of children from different cultures, I always encourage them to hold on to that part of their culture.

The Prime Minister highlighted in his Closing the Gap speech today that language is the great connector. He brought attention to the fact that over 600 various dialects actually existed before European settlement for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. Language is the carrier of culture and there are a number of fantastic organisations in my electorate who do wonderful work in promoting languages, and they have made fantastic contributions. Some of these include: the Whitehorse Club, a pillar of the Italian community, whose fantastic events are a highlight of the calendar year; The Monash Chinese Friendship Association, whose tireless volunteers are always showcasing the best of Chinese culture, and I look forward to celebrating Chinese New Year with them and the Asian Business Association of Whitehorse and the broader Chinese community this coming weekend; The Telugu Association do a wonderful job promoting Telugu culture, language and literature, as well as encouraging further integration with the local Chisholm community; and, of course, the Greek Orthodox community of Oakley and Box Hill and districts, who provide excellent support to members of the Greek community. I was only this weekend at the Greek Lonsdale Street festival in the heart of Melbourne representing the Prime Minister together with the minister Kelly O'Dwyer. It was a wonderful event and celebration of Greek culture in Melbourne, which has the highest population of people of Greek heritage next to Athens.

I would like to also acknowledge a number of language schools who hold classes in schools across Chisholm. These include: the Australasian Centre of Chinese studies, XJS Coaching School, Mang-Non Vietnamese Language School, MCCC Chinese School, Xin Jin Shan Chinese Language and Culture School, Ariston Greek School, Protypo Greek Centre, Waverly Korean Language School, Thai Education Centre of Victoria and many more.

In September last year I had the pleasure of attending the 20th anniversary of the Taiwanese School of Melbourne. It is a fantastic language school that under the leadership of Vincent Liu and Principal Ying Ying Ho, teaches traditions mandarin literature and language as a fun and friendly learning experience. Through language schools, students are able to gain valuable knowledge. Australia is an immigrant nation and International Mother Language Day is an opportunity to reflect on the importance of retaining or learning a mother tongue to ensure languages and cultures continue to thrive both in Australia and globally, promoting greater understanding.

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