Steve Georganas (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Earlier on this month I joined the Vietnamese association and the South Australian Vietnamese community for the official unveiling of the Vietnamese boat people monument in my electorate of Adelaide. I'd also like to acknowledge the presence there on the day of Mr Tony Zappia, the member for Makin, who attended with me. This is a very important monument, on the banks of the River Torrens, dedicated to our migrant refugees from Vietnam who fled Vietnam in the seventies and made their home in South Australia. Many told of the trials and tribulation of their journey in rickety boats coming to South Australia, and this monument depicts that. There was enormous effort and work put in by the Vietnamese community to raise funds to build this monument as a reminder for generations to come of the hardships they went through to get here, after enduring a war for many, many years in their own homeland, of how happy and wonderful they feel to be here in Australia and as an acknowledgment of the welcome they received here. I'd like to acknowledge the Hon. Tung Ngo, MLC, for his hard work on the committee; Minh Thai Nguyen, the co-chair; Trang Vu, general member; Tai Nguyen; Dang-Thao Nguyen; and Long Quoc Ha of the committee. They all worked tirelessly. I would also like to acknowledge the sculptors, the artists, the architects and the designers—Judith Rolevink, Tim Thomson, Tony Rosella and Ash Badios. (Time expired)