Mike Symon (Deakin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Sunday, 16 September I had the honour of attending the New Chinese Language and Culture School's 20th anniversary celebrations, which were held at the Preston Town Hall. The celebration was attended by the Deputy Consul-General of the Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China, the Consul of Overseas Chinese Affairs and Mr Jun Ye, the Principal of the New Chinese Language and Culture School. The town hall was full of parents, teachers and especially the students, who put on a great show for the assembled audience, with traditional and modern singing and dancing.

In 2007 I attended the 15th anniversary of the Chinese Culture School, as it was then known, at the Balwyn High School, and it is very pleasing to see the growth of the school that has occurred in the last five years. The school now operates from six different campuses after hours at secondary schools around Melbourne, including two in my electorate of Deakin, those being Blackburn High School and Ringwood Secondary College. With over 2,500 students, the New Chinese Language and Culture School is a great resource for Australia to help our students both current and future to expand their knowledge of and understanding of the language of our biggest trading partner, as we stake our future in the Asian century.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It being 2 pm, the debate is interrupted.