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

Over the weekend, I attended the Grand Cultural Festival in Bankstown to celebrate 40 years since the first Vietnamese refugees were settled in this country. This vibrant event was organised by the Vietnamese Community in Australia, New South Wales Chapter, to showcase the Vietnamese culture, achievements and contributions to the broader Australian community since their settlement 40 years ago. Over 2,000 people attended this festival, which had on display exhibitions of Vietnamese literature, visual arts, sculpture and photography. As with any Vietnamese event, there was also music, stage performances and a very detailed cultural parade.

The history of Vietnamese community in Australia is extraordinary. It is also a story of which we can all be very proud. Since the end of the Vietnam War 40 years ago, Australia opened its doors to the first wave of Vietnamese refugees fleeing the repressive forces of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. At that time, approximately 50,000 Vietnamese were settled in Australia. Today, Australia is proudly home to more than 200,000 Australian Vietnamese. Apart from sharing their vibrant culture and traditions with the wider Australian community, the Vietnamese community has also contributed much in all areas of community life and is well represented throughout our professions, including law, medicine and engineering. Their success and achievement is a testimony to their hard work, charitable endeavours and their strong sense of community. In fact, this mindset can be attributed much to an old Vietnamese saying, which goes something like, 'When you eat the fruit of a tree, you have regard to those who planted the seed.'

A good friend of mine advised me that the Vietnamese community has always felt a great sense of gratitude to Australia because it was this country that gave Vietnamese refugees a chance at a start and a new life, which they will never forget. Today, the Vietnamese community has not only become an integral part of Australian society but has also demonstrated itself to be one of the finest examples of the true Australian spirit. In celebrating their achievements and contributions, I would like to acknowledge the efforts of the Grand Cultural Festival organising committee, including the president of the VCA, Dr Thang Ha; the chair of the committee, Dr Thuat Nguyen OAM; the deputy chairs, Dinh Tran and Chinh Dang; the advisors, Mr Quang Luu and Father Paul Van Chi; and the many volunteers who turned up, including Luu Dan, Tania Huynh and Julie Pham. All these people played a significant role in making this a truly successful event, but, more importantly, it was an event which drew the attention of the broader Australian community to the values that we have gained through the successful settlement of Vietnamese people in this country.