Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to take this opportunity to wish Canberra's subcontinental community a happy Pakistan Independence Day, for last Friday, and Canberra's Indian community a happy Indian Independence Day, which was on Saturday. Our subcontinental community here is incredibly vibrant and it is growing. There are particular suburbs where the subcontinental community just keeps getting bigger and bigger. I am very fortunate to be an active part of their community, and very involved in community activities. There is a range of community groups, both in the Pakistani and Indian communities, as well as a range of areas where they can worship and congregate. In my electorate alone there are the Hindu and Sikh temples. We are also very fortunate to have the Canberra Islamic Centre there, which last year was unfortunately the victim of a number of incidences of ridiculously malicious violence. We also have the Canberra Islamic School in the electorate.

I also want to take this opportunity to congratulate particularly the Indian community for all the great work they have done. They had the very first curry festival here in winter, which was a huge hit. It will be bigger and better next year. Also, the local Australian Indian business community recently hosted the Leader of the Opposition at a major event. They talked about the bilateral relationship. Finally, I want to welcome to Canberra and thank the new Indian high commissioner and his wife.