Chris Hayes (Fowler, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Fowler is the most multicultural electorate in this diverse nation of ours. In fact, more than half the residents of my electorate were born overseas. One of the main benefits of representing such a diverse electorate is the opportunity to attend various cultural and religious functions. Although I get to enjoy plenty of variety in foods and music and various customs these days, what always moves me is that, despite the differences of history and traditions, the religious celebrations I attend promote the same core values: peace, harmony, love and family. From events celebrating the Buddha's birthday, to Islamic Iftar dinners, to the breaking of bread on an Orthodox saint's day, these core values are always present.

Considering that almost a quarter of my electorate has arrived from Vietnam since the fall of Saigon 37 years ago and a further 10 per cent are of Chinese origin, it is no surprise that 17 per cent of people in my electorate identify as Buddhists. This has given me the opportunity to gain a greater insight into the teaching of the Buddhist faith, and I have great respect for the positive spirit of the Buddhist religion. This spirit was very much on display during the celebrations early in May commemorating the birth, death and enlightenment of the Buddha, referred to as Vesak. I had the honour of speaking at the Freedom Plaza event in Cabramatta organised by the Mingyue Lay Buddhist Temple and Prajna Monastery. The event brought together various Buddhist communities, including the Vietnamese, Chinese and other Asian communities. The communities celebrated with lion dancing, music and food. I would like to take the opportunity to thank my very good friend of many years James Chan, who is the president of the Australian Chinese Buddhist Society. He has taken much time to include me in community events and I am very much in his debt. I also attended the Vesak celebrations organised by the Phuoc Hue Buddhist Temple. The event brought together the Most Venerable Thich Phuoc Tan, the Venerable Thich Phuoc Dat and the monks and nuns of the Phuoc temple with a number of community leaders and guests.

I have previously mentioned that religious celebrations across my electorate have similar values of harmony, inclusion, family and love. These values were certainly on display at the Orthodox saint day celebration of St Nikolaja Zickog that was organised by the Serbian National Defence Council in Canley Vale. I was invited to participate in the celebration of the blessing and breaking of the bread, which was followed by a very good traditional Serbian dinner. Followers of the Eastern Orthodox religion make up 6.5 per cent of my electorate and they make a wonderful contribution to my community and to the nation in general. I would like to thank Milovan 'Misha' Karajcic, the president of the council and a good friend of mine, together with the council secretary, Susan Tepsa, for inviting me to be part of this wonderful religious celebration.

I would also like to thank the leaders of the Assyrian community in my electorate, including Hermiz Shahen, the Deputy Secretary General of the Assyrian Universal Alliance, and Mr David David, President of the Assyrian Australian National Federation, for inviting me as their guest speaker at the opening ceremony of the Assyrian New Year Festival. The event was hosted by the Assyrian Church of the East, whose members make up about two per cent of my electorate. This is an annual event held on 1 April, as that day in the old country represented the beginning of spring, the symbol of resurrection and new beginnings. Another prominent religion in my electorate is Islam—5½ percent of the population of my electorate identify themselves as Muslim. For a number of years now I have been attending the Ramadan Iftar dinners, which are celebrated in a very wholesome way, and organised by the Feza Foundation with its chairman, Ismail Aydogan, and Sule College with its head principal, Ahmet Yamakoglu. I have also attended events organised by Adem Centinay at the Bonnyrigg Turkish mosque, including the breakfast and family day in March, which reinforced the values of harmony and family unity and values.

I am very fortunate to have such a diverse community. I am fortunate also to have people in it who take seriously their religion with a view to promoting tolerance, harmony and understanding in our community.

Federation Chamber adjourned at 13:05