Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I want to thank the member for Chifley for putting forward this motion recognising the 75th anniversary of bilateral relations with the Philippines. I also want to acknowledge the co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of the Philippines group, Rowan Ramsey, the member for Grey. I'm proud to be a co-chair with Rowan. I'm sure I can speak for the member for Grey: we were very proud to speak at an event at the Philippines embassy about five months ago now commemorating this anniversary of our bilateral relationship.

Australia and the Philippines have a strong and productive relationship, one which continues to grow stronger and closer. Our two great nations are united in our dedication to democracy and our common commitment to a safe, stable and secure region. Of course, our relationship goes back in history, as our forces fought side by side during the Second World War. We have much to be thankful to the Philippines for here in this country. Filipino Australians continue to make outstanding contributions to our national life, including in my own community back home in Darwin and Palmerston and, more broadly, across the NT.

In August we had the Barrio Fiesta, and today I spoke with Emcille, the President of the Filipino Australian Association of the Northern Territory, and she asked me to invite you all to the Barrio Fiesta next year in August 2022, when hopefully we're all open and able to travel. It will be the silver jubilee of the Barrio Fiesta, so 25 years. This year I was not able to make it as I was in quarantine coming back from Canberra after the sittings, but it was a great night, and they tried something new this year with an outdoor stage, and they played a lot of traditional games, including 'itsa, itsa', which literally means 'throw, throw'. This is basically a coin toss game where the kids and anyone who wants to play get in there and throw a coin into the next square, and there are prizes. It's a traditional game, and it was a great evening. I also want to put in an ad for them in that there will be a Philippines festival in the CBD of Darwin next year in addition to the Barrio Fiesta. The Barrio Fiesta is always held at the Filipino club in Marrara, and everyone's invited to that. But also there'll be another opportunity to attend the Philippines festival in the heart of the Darwin CBD. I look forward to giving the House and everyone listening more information on that in due course.

I want to thank all the members of the Filipino Australian community for the important roles that they have played and continue to play during this pandemic. They're essential to the health services that we provide to all Territorians, and they're a very valued part of our community. I want to mention a person who is important to me and to my family in particular—a Filipino Australian called Apple. We were in the choir together at St Mary's Cathedral in Darwin. She is a wonderful singer, and she's an awesomely loving person who takes my own children, gives them a hug and loves them as if they were her own grandchildren. That is indicative of the love and respect that the Filipino community have for their friends and for strangers, and we saw that during the pandemic. When we had lockdowns, the Filipino community got together and fed international students, regardless of where they'd come from. It's a good example, I think, of not only how important they are to our community but how loved they are in our community, and we want to see more Filipinos come to Australia and settle.

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