Peter Khalil (Wills, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Today I want to wish those in my electorate who celebrate a very happy lunar new year. In particular, I want to wish the Chinese residents of my electorate, especially members of the North Eastern Melbourne Chinese Association, NEMCA, a prosperous year of the snake ahead. The Chinese Australian community in my electorate is a small but vibrant one. Last year, I accepted NEMCA's invitation to celebrate the moon festival and China's national day with them. Last year was also the 30th anniversary of the founding of NEMCA, the first association in Victoria representing Chinese immigrants from mainland China and celebrating the achievements of Chinese migrants to our great multicultural story. NEMCA is one of the many organisations which provide space for different cultural recreational activities while offering essential services and support to immigrants adapting to life in Australia. As a child of immigrants, I understand firsthand the challenge of building a new life in a foreign land. I grew up admiring the resilience of my own parents, whose sacrifices paved the way for the future for my sister and me, and I look up to their perseverance and strength. I'm eternally grateful for the sacrifices they made for us. The Chinese immigrants in my electorate know these sacrifices well—the challenge of adapting to the unfamiliar and the courage required to start anew. In my role as Special Enjoy for Social Cohesion, it brings me great joy to see the ways in which NEMCA has promoted Chinese culture in Victoria. The work they've done to help Chinese immigrants transition smoothly into Australian society exemplifies the power of community and multiculturalism in our country.

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