Matt Thistlethwaite (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Saturday, I was pleased to host the third annual Kingsford Smith Lunar New Year festival at Dacey Gardens in Kingsford. Thousands of locals came together on the fringe of one of Sydney and Australia's best Asian food precincts to usher in the Year of the Rooster and to celebrate the diversity and multiculturalism of our community.

On the evening, there was something for everyone, with Asian food stalls; music, singing, dance and cultural performances; kids' activities, including Chinese calligraphy, paper cut and origami; and, of course, the very, very popular lion dance. It was great to see our community unite under the banner of multiculturalism, to celebrate our community's greatest asset—our diversity.

The event brings together a number of organisations that host it. I wish to congratulate and thank those organisations—in particular, Bayside Council, the University of New South Wales, the Kingsford Chamber of Commerce and the Confucius Institute at the University of New South Wales, as well as many local businesses and organisations.

This is now an annual event, and it is a highlight on the local calendar. To all those who celebrate Lunar New Year, I wish you and your families a very happy, safe and prosperous New Year. Xinnian kuaile! Jinian kuaile!