Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

On Remembrance Day, it is my pleasure to rise in this chamber to recall all of those who served Australia, particularly in the Great War—World War I—when we lost so many. We had such a high price to pay at home for those losses not just of those who were lost on the battlefield and never returned but also those who came back different people and who struggled to rejoin their families and continue a life that they'd left. I recall those who served with a reminder to myself that, in my community today, at our cenotaph, there will be wreaths laid to remember them today, as will be done in Victoria, under subdued circumstances, as you can imagine. So, as a wreath is laid today to acknowledge the federal seat of Lalor and all of the residents of Lalor, we all want to remember Remembrance Day. It will be subdued. There will be few people in attendance. But I know that, across the rest of the week and across the weekend, those who venture into our main street, Watton Street, will stop and nod and think about Remembrance Day.

I also want to wish a happy Diwali to everyone across the City of Wyndham, to all of those celebrating and to all of those who are going to light up their homes for our city of lights festival.

I also want to say very good luck to everybody doing their VCE exams at home.

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