Gladys Liu (Chisholm, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Last week, we celebrated Harmony Week, which was a celebration of the success of Australia as the most multicultural and multifaith country while encouraging us to celebrate our unique identity. This year's theme, Everyone Belongs, conveys the sense of inclusiveness, respect, belonging and that 'fair go' attitude Australia strives to achieve for all, regardless of their background. And, on 21 March, we celebrated the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination—something I believe is of precious importance, regardless of where you are in the world.

As a migrant myself, coming from Hong Kong a few decades back, I came to this country without friends or family. I would be lying if I said I wasn't at all nervous. In fact, I was terrified—terrified at the prospect of coming to this country, with no idea what to expect. Thankfully though, Australia treated me kindly. The people in this country are good people. It's why I fell in love with this country and it's why I'm so honoured to represent the people of Chisholm in Canberra. I won't stand here to say that it has always been easy. With my cultural background, I have encountered adversity throughout the years, but there are always bad eggs in any place you go. The difference in Australia is that most Australians always do the right thing.

It's our current government that has done the right thing and made public statements openly condemning all forms of racism and committing to ensuring Australia remains a safe country to live in and belong to—something I'm extraordinarily proud of. The Morrison government has always recognised diversity as a significant component to Australia's economic success which allows businesses to be more prosperous and increases opportunities to build international relationships. In fact, the Morrison government celebrates the diversity of this nation and the shared Australian values that unite us all together.

It's through this recognition and celebration that the Morrison government committed to continuing development of the social cohesion program. Our government has allocated $63 million in the 2020-21 federal budget. This includes $37.3 million to promote understanding of our Australian values, identity and social cohesion and to counter misinformation online, $17.3 million to enhance engagement with multicultural communities and leaders, and $7.9 million to establish a research program dedicated to informing initiatives that strengthen social cohesion.

Australia is well renowned for our success in bridging the distance between our citizens who may have been here for generations and those who have just arrived. We are a nation that has always understood the importance of developing and strengthening the diversity of our culture and people while ensuring that our Australian values are instilled in all those who share Australian citizenship. The government recognises that there is critical work ahead to foster a more inclusive society and to stamp out racism, but, as someone with a multicultural background who is sensitive to and aware of these issues, I can wholeheartedly lend my support to the good work our government has done and continues to do. In fact, I can say that I'm proud of the work that the Morrison government is doing to eliminate racism here in Australia, and I will definitely do my very best to work with organisations and everyone in Chisholm to achieve this goal.

See this speech in context