Cassandra Fernando (Holt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Among my favourite roles, besides being the member for Holt, is serving as the chair of the parliamentary friends groups for North Macedonia and Sri Lanka. They are both an honour and responsibility that I carry with pride and conviction. Many of us here serve as chairs, co-chairs and vice-chairs of country and non-country parliamentary friendship groups, and I am sure many of you agree that, outside of the crucial policy work we do, parliamentary friendship groups offer an avenue to express our long-term interest and fondness for certain countries and cultures.

Country parliamentary friendship groups act as bridges that connect nations, cultures and people. Over the past few weeks I had the privilege of visiting the vibrant lands of North Macedonia and Sri Lanka and engaging with the parliamentary friendship groups for Australia in their parliaments. I was pleased by the warm and welcoming nature of the President of the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia, Talat Xhaferi, and the chair of the parliamentary group for cooperation with the parliament of Australia, Zoran Kocevski, during my visit. What particularly struck me was the distinct harmony that prevails in the light of the confluence of cultures that the nation embodies. This country, rich in its historical tapestry, demonstrated to me that our shared humanity could indeed overcome boundaries, whether geographic, linguistic or cultural. I experienced the resilience and courage of the Macedonian people, their profound spirit of hospitality and the vitality of their customs and traditions. The commitment of the North Macedonian parliament and the Macedonian people to their democratic values, regional stability and economic growth is commendable. It is a testament to their resilience and their dedication to progress—overcoming the complexities of their past, looking towards a future when they will no doubt play an instrumental role.

My journey then continued to the pearl of the Indian Ocean and the country of my birth, Sri Lanka. My visit included a meeting and a tour of the Parliament of Sri Lanka with the Speaker, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, a lunch with the Australia-Sri Lanka Parliamentary Friendship Group, and a meeting with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Tharaka Balasuriya. Besides these engagements, the most treasured part of my time there was the opportunity to address the students of the Holy Family Convent Bambalapitiya—my old school. The opportunity to meet and interact with the youth of Sri Lanka, who are filled with ambition, drive and an inspiring vision for their future, was a heartwarming experience. They are the flag-bearers of the nation's development and a testimony to its vibrant potential.

Both North Macedonia and Sri Lanka are nations where the past and the present beautifully intersect, offering lessons and aspirations for the future. As chair of the parliamentary friendship groups of these two nations, my aim is to foster stronger ties and facilitate greater understanding and cooperation. There is so much that we can learn from each other, so much that we can achieve together. The lessons I can bring back with me today—the stories of resilience and strength, the spirit of unity in diversity, and the ambition for a brighter future—will resonate in the corridors of our parliament.

My visit has reinforced my belief in the power of dialogue, diplomacy and mutual respect. As nations we are more similar than we are different. Our common aspirations for peace, prosperity and mutual respect bind us together more than our diversity sets us apart. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the people of North Macedonia and Sri Lanka, particularly the speakers of the respective parliaments and the chairs of their parliamentary friendship groups, for their warmth and hospitality. It is my sincere hope that the ties between our nations will only strengthen in years to come, and that the friendships we have forged will continue to thrive. Let us cherish these bonds and nurture them. Most importantly, let us build upon them for the prosperity of our nations and for the betterment of our shared global community.

House adjourned at 19:59

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