Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Hansard source

I had the great pleasure of attending Brisbane's Africa Day Festival in Acacia Ridge last weekend, and can I just say upfront how great it is for this festival to be held in Moreton, where it belongs. It's been four years since the last festival, and this event will only get bigger and better. Big congratulations to the Queensland African Communities Council, the peak organisation for African communities in Queensland. It also coincides with Africa Day, acknowledging the formation of the Organisation of African Unity.

This festival, held at the Spanish Club, is about showcasing and sharing African culture within the Brisbane community. This year, there were guest performers from interstate and a great combination of traditional and modern dancing and great stalls, not to mention excellent food. Congratulations to the event organisers, to the president of the Queensland African Communities Council, Beny Bol, and to all of the volunteers who I know spent hours and hours making sure everything ran smoothly. As Beny Bol says:

This is the only event that brings the African community together every year so it's about celebrating our culture, our arts, our heritage and the talents in our communities. It's about progressing multiculturalism in Queensland.

We've been defined by others and now's the time to define ourselves. The most important thing is we need to work together, we need to value each other, we need to be very inclusive.

Well said, Beny. I really hope the festival has found a new home in Moreton forever.

And could I just add: happy birthday to my dad, Brian Perrett, today.

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