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

I am proud to represent the most multicultural electorate in the whole of Australia—the colour, the vibrancy, and the diversity make Fowler quite exciting. But I am also very proud of what my community is able to achieve. Today, I would like to refer to the efforts of Dr Xuyen Thi Tran and Dr Sang Giang Phan who led the fundraising efforts last Friday to support Fairfield Hospital. One of the things that the Vietnamese community take very seriously is being adopted into Australia. They are very thankful that, 40 years ago, Australia opened its doors to Vietnamese fleeing the communist regime, and they have a view about paying back this country. In doing that, Dr Xuyen led the fundraising effort to support the hospital. Last Friday evening, she amassed a number of medical practitioners from throughout our electorate and raised over $80,000 to support much-needed equipment required by Fairfield Hospital. The Vietnamese community understands that this equipment will go to serving our broader community, and they are very much of the view that what they can do is pay back this country for showing them respect and care some 40 years ago.

The Vietnamese people have taken a very leading role in many professions, but they are also taking on an extraordinary role in fundraising for our greater community. They once told me of a saying as to why they do this work, and the saying goes something like this, 'if you eat from the fruit of the tree, have regard for those who planted the seed'. It is therefore not surprising that whether it be the Queensland floods, the Victorian bushfires or, in this case, Fairfield Hospital fundraising, at the forefront is our local Vietnamese community. I am proud to be part of a community that takes seriously the issue of community itself. The Vietnamese certainly see that as very much a part of their being. Supporting the local hospital system to provide better services for all our community members is something that they are proud to take part in. We are proud to have refugees come to this country, adopt Australia for what it is and contribute in such a way as the Vietnamese community continues to do. On behalf of a grateful community, I say to Dr Xuyen—who, by the way, is normally involved in just about every fundraising effort that takes place in my community—and her team: thank you for what you do. You make a difference for the better.