Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My mob celebrate the feast of All Saints in the Christian church at the beginning of November, but in the Orthodox Christian Church it's celebrated on the first Sunday following the feast of Pentecost. I want to acknowledge the All Saints parish and community in my electorate as it celebrates the annual patronal feast of All Saints, a very important event in the Orthodox calendar. His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia will be represented by His Grace Metropolitan Seraphim and will celebrate Matins in divine liturgy on this day at All Saints church in Belmore. I want to congratulate the congregation on this blessed feast day.

I want to also acknowledge the Korean Society of Sydney in Croydon Park in my electorate. The Korean Society of Sydney was established in 1968, and they provide a range of social services, community activities and cultural events for the Korean-Australian community locally and beyond. Last year in the height of the pandemic the Korean Society donated surgical masks and hand sanitiser to the Chinese Australian Services Society, known as CASS, for the residential aged-care facility that they've got in Campsie. Currently they're working hard to organise the Korean festival later this year, and we hope that social distancing restrictions allow it to go ahead. I want to thank Kwang Hong Yoon, the outgoing president of the Korean Society, and the incoming president, Hung Won Kang, and vice-president, Jung Hyung Noh, and the committee for their tireless work and ongoing dedication to our community.

I would like to congratulate Metropolitan Basilios from the Antiochian Orthodox community, who I recently caught up with at St Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church in Punchbowl, on the blessing and sod turning ceremony marking the start of construction of St Nicholas's new 80-bed aged-care project. Having residential aged care available for people from various cultural backgrounds is a really important development in my part of Sydney. In my time as a local member I've seen community after community make sure that they are able to provide their elderly with facilities where the language is familiar, the food is familiar and the faith is familiar in their surroundings.

I also want to acknowledge Hajeh Maha Abdo, CEO of Muslim Women Australia. She's stepping back from her role after 38 years. Hajeh Maha has overseen the growth of the then Muslim Women's Association, still operating from their premises in Wangee Road, Lakemba, from a small operation to now specialising in a range of services from supporting victims of domestic violence to providing TAFE courses and qualifications. It's an extraordinary organisation which has gone from strength to strength, and the legacy of Hajeh Maha is a great legacy for the organisation and for the whole of the community.