Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am pleased to place on record some fantastic news for people on the Central Coast today. The NBN is on track to be delivered to more than 56,000 homes and businesses in my electorate. Over the next 12 months, in addition to construction that has already commenced, another 25 suburbs will be included in the national rollout, which means super-fast broadband is now a giant step closer to reality for even more people on the Central Coast. That is great news for people living and working in Umina Beach, Woy Woy, Pearl Beach, Patonga, Green Point, Killcare, Killcare Heights, Ettalong Beach, Booker Bay, Daleys Point, St Huberts Island, Blackwall, Phegans Bay, Woy Woy Bay, Horsefield Bay, Yattalunga, Pretty Beach, Wagstaffe, Boxhead, Empire Bay, Bensville, Saratoga, Davistown, Koolewong and Kincumber.

Over coming weeks, people can expect to see workers out in their street planning the new network to get this fibre-to-the-node network built. It is great news for residents such as John Simmons from the Bensville Residents Association and Roger Murray from the Pearl Beach Progress Association, both of whom have been terrific advocates for their community, and I thank them for that. They have both outlined the many challenges of not having access to fast broadband. The Central Coast waited for six long years, and all they got under the former Labor government was upgrades to 203 premises in my electorate. Businesses and residents have been calling for this, and today we can affirm that this government will deliver.

Andrew Leigh (Fraser, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Diwali or Deepavali is one of the most important festivals in the Hindu calendar. Held either on 22 or 23 October—depending on whether you are on north Indian time or south Indian time—Diwali was celebrated this weekend in Canberra with a significant festival at the Albert Hall. The program was split into three parts: the saffron session, the white session and the green session. It was my pleasure to be one of the chief guests in the green session. I pay tribute to Krishan Aggarwal, the chairman of the Australia-India Association of Canberra and to the many people who work to make the Diwali celebration a success. The participants included guests from the Oriya Association, the Karnataka Association, the India-Australia of Canberra, the Canberra Bhangra Jammers, the Filipino Association of Canberra, a Tamil Nadu dancing group, An Assamese folk dancing group, and the Canberra Sikh Association.

The music was extraordinary, as was the display of Bollywood dancing. Diwali celebrates the victory of light over darkness, and it is an important reminder that all of us are strengthened when we celebrate each other's festivals.