Anne Aly (Cowan, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Early Childhood Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to read a speech from Noor, a young woman in Cowan, from the Raise Our Voice program. Noor writes:

In the next decade, I dream of an Australia where no one is left behind—a community where every individual is treated with dignity and equality, truly embodying the values of "one and free." We are known as "the lucky country," a land of opportunity where many came seeking a better life. Yet, from my own experience with my parents—immigrants who faced tremendous obstacles—I've seen that this promise of opportunity is not always fulfilled. Our Parliament holds the power to turn this vision into reality. We must significantly enhance and expand support services for those in need, from the homeless and the elderly to those battling mental health challenges. Investing in affordable housing and accessible healthcare will lay the groundwork for everyone to succeed. We cannot afford to let our people be forgotten or marginalised, repeating the mistakes of the past. Moreover, we must rekindle the true Aussie spirit of mateship. Let's champion community-driven initiatives like food banks, community centres, and outreach programs that provide hands-on help and foster strong, supportive networks. Parliament has the opportunity to ensure that every Australian—that every person, whether they've been here for generations or who have just arrived—feels they are truly living the Australian dream. This is the fair dinkum future we must aim for: a nation where the promise of "boundless plains to share" and the legacy of being "the lucky country" are realised for everyone. Let's make sure no one is left behind.

I want to congratulate Noor from my electorate on such a wonderful speech, which she's written here. Noor's name in Arabic means 'light', and I feel that, in this speech, Noor has truly shown her inner light and reflected her true compassion and the true values of equality. She's shared compassion and a shared vision for all Australians that all Australians can ascribe to. It's one of the reasons that I chose to read Noor's speech. It speaks to me as an immigrant myself, as it does to many Australians and a large section of people in Cowan. But it also speaks to every Australian about the values that we share, the common humanity that we share and the common vision that we share for an Australia where truly no-one is left behind—where we can all partake in that vision of an Australian dream and where every Australian is treated equally and has opportunity. Thank you, Noor, and thank you, Raise Our Voice.