Ed Husic (Chifley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Hansard source

Magandang umaga—good morning. It's a great pleasure to propose this resolution with the member for Shortland and join members on both sides of the House who are speaking in celebrating 75 years of formal diplomatic connection with the Philippines. With enormous pride I emphasise to the House that the Filipino-Australian community constitutes one of the biggest and most vibrant in the Chifley electorate. Over 20,000 Filipino Australians live in Chifley, almost 10 per cent of the electorate. I like to think that the size and energy of the Filipino-Australian community in the Chifley electorate form a tremendous anchor point, tethering our nation to the Philippines.

I'm grateful for the community's support and honoured to call many of you my friends. To every Filipino Australian in my area I make this personal, emphatic point: I admire profoundly your humility, hard work, compassion and respect for family and community—always there with a laugh and great humour. The warmth of your friendship is something to treasure. You and your fellow Filipino Australians have made, and continue to make, extraordinary contributions to the quality of life for the people of Western Sydney and beyond, whether it be through setting up small businesses that contribute to the local economy, the contribution made by so many local groups, from FILSPARC to AGAPI and from SAFSI to PASCCI, or the spiritual support provided by the Filipino chaplaincy of the diocese of Parramatta. And we cannot forget the Philippine Community Council, who are celebrating 30 years of service this year. Thank you.

Never have connections across cultures been more important than now. In times of crisis, such as those that the COVID-19 pandemic presents, we must hold tight to the ties that bind us. Australia and the Philippines are inextricably connected by our shared interests and values. Australia's culture of mateship is mirrored in the Philippine's tradition of bayanihan, the civic spirit of community for which Filipino culture is known, referring to the practice of neighbours literally carrying another neighbour's house to safe ground. In many ways, this is reflected by the thousands of Filipino families who crossed oceans and land to migrate to Australia, especially since the 1980s, coming here and contributing to their new neighbourhoods while also looking after family back home.

The 75 years of diplomatic relations between our nations represents one of our country's longest-standing bilateral relationships—75 years of growth, friendship and camaraderie, notably cemented during World War Two, when 4,000 Australian service personnel fought alongside Filipino forces in one of the most decisive battles of the Second World War: the Leyte landings of 1944. The Australian embassy in Manila opened in 1946. The Philippines established their first foreign mission in Sydney a year later. The next year, the first consular office was opened in Elizabeth Bay, later elevated to the status of embassy in 1956. Roberto Regala was the first to serve as Philippine Ambassador to Australia. Since then, the vigour and energy of the diplomatic relationship and its representation have been something to admire, adding so much to our friendship. I also thank the scores of members of the Australian diplomatic corps for their dedication to this special bilateral relationship. From the ambassadors to their consul generals and their teams, the Filipino representatives are among the most active of the diplomatic corps, present at so many functions. We really hoped to have the Philippines Ambassador to Australia, Her Excellency Madam Hellen Barber De La Vega, present on the floor of the House, but COVID restrictions checked our ambitions here. I know she's watching today. I thank her for her hard work and effort, as I do with the other representatives past and present, with special mention to the tireless former consul-general Anne Jalando-on Louis, for whom I have deep respect and admiration.

Speaking of the ambassador, we were fortunate to have Her Excellency Consul-General Melanie Rita Diano join us at the Doonside Community Centre in June to celebrate this important 75-year milestone. The day was full of great Pinoy food from Mount Druitt's Pabico and Mama Lor in Rooty Hill. We are thankful for a beautiful presentation by Benjie de Ubago which paid tribute to Australian-Filipino pioneers, along with a blessing from Reverend Father Evergisto Bernaldez and terrific performances from AGAPI, SAFSI and Jojo Sebastian. I'd be remiss to let this opportunity pass without acknowledging the work of Chifley community contributor Lina Cabaero. I spoke of Lina's contributions earlier in the year and we recently farewelled her. I hope my words today restate my respect for her service.

Regardless of our politics, I think many of us here wholeheartedly believe in the relationship between Australia and the Philippines. We think this will continue to strengthen because we've seen with our own eyes the efforts of the community here, what they do and what they stand for. Thank you for your continued work. Salamat and mabuhay.

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