Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to acknowledge the organisation Human Appeal Australia, based in my part of Sydney, in Lakemba. This is a charity organisation whose work spans four continents, fighting poverty and responding to emergencies caused by conflict and natural disasters. Within Australia they have played a crucial role, particularly whenever a bushfire or flood has occurred. They load up the trucks with local supplies from local stores. The donations come flooding into Lakemba and, before you know it, they are on site—sometimes the first at the scene—providing support to Australians who are facing emergencies. They provide food hampers and sanitary products to those who are most vulnerable.

More recently, the organisation has bolstered its efforts to provide relief and aid around the world and, right now, to those affected by the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, by forming partnerships in the region to exchange resources and expertise. From floods in Libya to earthquakes in Morocco and Afghanistan, Human Appeal Australia is unwavering in the face of catastrophe. Amidst the civil war in Sudan, the famine in Yemen or the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the organisation is steadfast in its commitment to provide aid and support to those affected. Many of its donors themselves don't have a lot of money but still find enough to help those in need in Australia and around the world.

Human Appeal also works to uplift and provide greater opportunities for youth in my part of Sydney. It does this through curating programs and events that are aimed to develop Muslim youth and improve their participation in leadership. I want to thank the director of Human Appeal, Mr Bashar Al-Jamal, and his dedicated volunteers for assisting those in need not only here in Australia but also abroad.

I also want to acknowledge the organisation CASS, the Chinese Australian Services Society, based in Campsie. CASS run everything from child care through to aged care. They serve around 7,000 families across Australia, with over 650 employees and 350 volunteers. Their work spans metropolitan Sydney and Wollongong and is beginning to get traction in Victoria. CASS is dedicated to delivering a variety of high-quality services across a range of culturally and linguistically diverse communities. In addition to their work in the care sector, they support newly arrived Chinese- and Korean-speaking migrants with settlement issues such as housing, employment, education, health and welfare.

People from all around the world have chosen to call my part of Sydney home. CASS is one of those organisations that assists people in that transition. I want to acknowledge the foundation chair and honorary executive director, Mr Henry Pan OAM; the chair, Professor Stephen Li; and the rest of the committee for their ongoing commitment and dedication to support the most vulnerable, not only in my local community but across other parts of Sydney.