Craig Laundy (Reid, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This Friday, 21 March, will be Harmony Day, a day that Australia celebrates the diversity of the cultural backgrounds we all come from. Friday is also the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Both of these initiatives are important to promote Australia's modern and diverse society, with approximately 45 per cent of Australians born overseas or with at least one parent born overseas. I have the honour of representing one of the most multicultural seats in Australia and am proud to be the member for the diverse communities within the electorate of Reid. While Harmony Day is an important date on the calendar in promoting Australia's modern and diverse society, in Reid every day is Harmony Day.

Just last week I had the honour of welcoming the Prime Minister to Auburn, in the west of my electorate, to promote this government's initiatives to combat youth unemployment and an exciting project that the Inner West Skills Centre is undertaking to combat youth unemployment in the local community. In what was a great representation of the diverse electorate of Reid, the Prime Minister met with representatives from Afghan, Chinese, Korean, Sudanese and Turkish backgrounds, amongst many more. This event was a great success and I would like to congratulate the Inner West Skills Centre and all involved for the excellent work they have done and continue to do in the local area for all the people of ethnic backgrounds. This centre is just one example of how in Reid we do not talk about multiculturalism; we live it.