David Smith (Bean, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

On Sunday I visited BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Taylor to celebrate Diwali and the new year. It was a privilege to be there for the first celebration of Diwali in what is already a very special place in the community.

Festivals like Diwali are a reminder of the spirit of the Hindu community. Diwali encourages an annual reflection: give and forgive, unite and unify, prosper and progress. These are all qualities that shine through consistently in the local BAPS community in the way they work in so many charitable endeavours and the way the community reach out to the broader Canberra community and welcome them in.

Festivals like Diwali also remind us of the importance of celebrating our multicultural identity and how diversity enriches Australian life. By working together we can create a more safe and harmonious society for all. In this light, we stand with the Hindu communities that practise their faith in Florey and Mawson and experienced vandalism to their places of worship the weekend before Diwali. Targeting any place of worship is unacceptable. We need to stand united against such acts of hatred and intolerance. When we do so, together we can ensure light overcomes darkness.

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