John Alexander (Bennelong, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you to the member for Moreton for bringing forward this debate. Violence, vilification and discrimination can never be allowed to occur, and it's important that we recognise and verbalise this important statement regularly in this House for all Australians to see and hear.

I'm proud of Bennelong for many reasons. We are a bright, innovative and friendly electorate, with an exciting future to look forward to. But perhaps the thing I am most proud of is our multicultural community. Since the fifties Bennelong has been a melting pot, welcoming Italians, Armenians, Indians, Chinese, Korean and many other people from around the planet. Communities from across the globe have come to Bennelong and made a permanent home, combining the great benefits of our two cultures.

The strong diversity is instantly apparent to any visitor to Bennelong. It can even be quantified, thanks to the last census. Nearly 22 per cent of all residents speak either Cantonese or Mandarin; a further 9,000 residents speak Korean; just under 3,000 speak Italian, and a similar number speak Arabic; and there are also high levels of Armenian and Farsi spoken. In total, over 51 per cent of homes in Bennelong speak a language other than English at home. Each of these communities has brought their culture with them, obviously, but they have also shared their cultures with the existing community. As a result, we have a wholesome community made richer by the cultures that make it up. We eat with Chinese and Korean diners, we play chess with Armenian masters, we play sport with Indian team mates and we laugh and live together.

Our greatest strength is our diversity. I hope our community can be an example for others, because there are places in Australia where multiculturalism has not yet led to harmony. Bennelong shows how by sharing our lives and our communities with others, the whole community benefits.

We have not been without our troubles of course. Back in 2014 there was a spate of assaults in Eastwood, many suspected to be as a result of the victims' cultural background. In discussions with leaders from the Chinese and Korean communities, my friends Hugh Lee and Jason Koh explained to me that there was often a stigma amongst certain cultures against reporting being the victim of a crime; people being held back by language or even issues of saving face. Eastwood police were aware of the problem, but struggling to cross the cultural divide. As a result, I was delighted to work closely with the Australian Asian Association of Bennelong and the Korean Chamber of Commerce, as well as the state member, Victor Dominello, to secure $200,000 in federal grants for the City of Ryde for the installation of CCTV cameras in some of the underlit parks and car parks of Eastwood. Reports of assaults have gone down in these areas and, indeed, one park is where I launched my campaign just a few months ago, right in the cultural heart of Bennelong.

Cameras and law enforcement are all well and good, but in order to reduce the violence felt by minorities we require something more: a change in ourselves. We need to be better people—sympathetic and open. Everyone has a context and we must try to understand this background before we judge their situation or their actions. Most importantly, we must call out abuse. As policymakers and leaders of this nation it is our responsibility to ensure that racism and ignorance do not combine again. That starts by identifying and rejecting them, something we must do with full voice and full conviction.

Thank you again to the member for Moreton—who seems to be getting a head start on the Movember race that we often engage in!—for raising this issue today. His game of tennis needs some improvement, too! Bringing cohesion to Australia is the most important thing we do in this place, and if we can stop discrimination we will set this country up for a strong, united and exciting future. I'm looking forward to our next game!

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