Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise this afternoon to recognise the recipients of 2019's school awards across Perth's northern suburbs. Attending school graduations is a highlight of the end of the year. Not only do I get to participate in a milestone moment of a student's life but it is also personally inspiring to be part of the celebration of the student's achievements, particularly after a sitting fortnight. As the school year came to an end, it was a privilege to donate awards to a number of schools across Perth's northern suburbs, including Carmel School, Emmanuel Christian Community School, Good Shepherd Catholic Primary School, Illawarra Primary School, Mary McKillop Catholic Community Primary School, Nollamara Primary School and Tapping Primary School. I'd like to highlight the achievements of the following students who received accolades from their local school communities based on a range of exemplary behaviours, including academic performance, sporting prowess—of which I didn't possess any at school!—and community service.

I congratulate these award winners from Emmanuel Christian Community School: Selihom Kifletsion, who received the design and technology award; Lauren Eddy, who received the information technology award; Joy Owuor, who received the Christian studies award; and Annabelle Sein, who received the primary school campus all-rounder award. I also recognise and congratulate the recipients of the Good Shepherd Catholic Primary School physical education awards, Aryan Gomes and Zeke Beros; and Mary MacKillop Catholic Community Primary School junior school citizenship award recipient, Alessio Georgiades.

While there were many inspiring students across the northern suburbs of Perth, I'd like to particularly highlight two enthusiastic young students from Illawarra Primary School in Ballajura who received the Spirit of Illawarra: Caring for People award. It's my pleasure to read their citations, as they are outstanding examples to other students and to our community as a whole. The first says:

This caring and supportive young person displays a consistent interest in helping others. They are thoughtful, kind and always respectful to their teachers.

Her demeanour truly reflects the Illawarra Primary School motto of Caring for People and she can always be relied upon to volunteer assistance for others, both within the classroom and around the school.

This young lady is always approachable, listens empathetically and shows a genuine interest in assisting fellow students at school. She advises, consoles and comforts those needing a little extra care.

It was an honour to present the Spirit of Illawarra award to Keely McTear on the night.

The second spirit of Illawarra award went to this young student:

This polite and caring young person is a very worthy recipient of this award. This person displays a genuine interest in the well-being of others and possesses a kind, caring and thoughtful nature.

This person is respectful to all of her peers and teachers. She can be relied upon to be the first to volunteer assistance, both in the classroom and playground environments. Her caring nature is reflected in her role as Peer Mediator. She has kindly volunteered at Breakfast Club and is always punctual, organised and a great asset to this club.

Her demeanour truly reflects the Illawarra Primary School motto of Caring for People.

Again, it was an honour to present the other Spirit of Illawarra award to Gabby Versace at the awards night. I congratulate all the recipients of many of the 2019 school awards across Perth's northern suburbs and its many primary and secondary schools, and congratulate them all for their pursuit of excellence inside and outside the classroom.

Australia Day is known for barbecues, fireworks, time with family and friends, and welcoming new citizens to our great country. I was delighted to join the Attorney-General and federal member for Pearce to welcome more than a thousand new citizens at the City of Wanneroo's Australia Day citizenship ceremony. Western Australia is the most multicultural state in the nation, with more than one in three Western Australians born overseas. The state's cultural diversity was on display for all to see as we celebrated our special day, again in Perth's northern suburbs.

I'd like to recognise the deserving recipients of the City of Wanneroo Australia Day awards 2020, including the Charles Searson Australia Day Youth Award, the Australia Day Award and the Australia Day Community Group or Event Award. These extraordinary people serve their communities with distinction in environments as diverse as clubs, schools and temples.

The Charles Searson Australia Day Youth Award winner, Jayda Feifar, is a young Aboriginal leader. Jayda, who graduated from Girrawheen Senior High School in 2019, devotes her time to coaching, umpiring and coordinating sporting events and matches. Jayda supports people from disadvantaged communities with meal preparation and is a key driver behind a literacy program which mentors primary school students to enhance their literacy skills.

The City of Wanneroo Australia Day Award winner, Daniel McEvoy, is an education support mentor. Daniel guides, motivates and inspires students from lower socioeconomic and refugee communities with limited access to education support. Daniel is President of the Achievers Club WA, which supports more than 20 children with their studies. Daniel's dedication and leadership has ensured the Achievers Club can provide the quality support its students need to aspire and prosper.

The City of Wanneroo Australia Day Community Group or Event Award winner, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, is a Hindu community group. The passionate members of this group, Dylan Wadia, Hasmukh Wadia and Yogesh Shah, enrich the City of Wanneroo through the delivery of a suite of community programs.

In 2009, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir supported causes like Clean Up Australia Day and the Salvation Army Disaster Appeal whilst driving grassroots projects like the Red Cross blood donation drive. Moreover, BAPS, as it's commonly known, promotes cultural harmony via the Diwali and Annakut celebrations. It's my distinct pleasure to congratulate Jayda Feifar, Daniel McEvoy and the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir for their deserving recognition in the City of Wanneroo Australia Day Awards of 2020.

Finally, just last week, I had the honour of again participating in the WA Vietnamese community's Lunar New Year celebration. The annual Tet Festival, organised by the Western Australian chapter of the Vietnamese Community in Australia, has cemented for itself a proud position on Western Australia's rich calendar of multicultural celebrations and is another demonstration of the prominence and success of the Vietnamese community in Western Australia and, I suspect, the success of the Vietnamese community across our country.

Tet, short for Tet Nguyen Dan, which means 'feast of the first morning of the first day', symbolises the coming of spring in the Vietnamese calendar. Perth's Vietnamese community marked the commencement of the year of the rat with a string of games and performances, including fire walks, human chess, lion dancers, music and some of the best pop-up cuisine we've seen in Perth thus far. Well over 10,000 people descended on Wanneroo Showgrounds on 31 January and 1 February to celebrate the festival.

It was my pleasure to once again host an interactive display at the Tet Festival, sharing in the excitement of this New Year celebration. The Vietnamese community shares my anticipation for their planned cultural centre, made possible thanks to the coalition's commitment of $750,000. The coalition government committed $750,000 to support the long-held aspiration of Western Australia's Vietnamese community to have their own cultural centre.

I'd also like to acknowledge my colleagues who, along with myself, made a financial contribution to make the festival the success it was. I thank and congratulate my parliamentary colleagues Ben Morton, the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister and member for Tangney; Celia Hammond, the member for Curtin; Mr Ian Goodenough, the member for Moore; the Hon. Tjorn Sibma MLC, a member of the state's upper house for the North Metropolitan Region; and my Senate colleagues Senator Slade Brockman and Senator Matt O'Sullivan from Western Australia for their generous financial support in making the event a success.

Again, I congratulate the Vietnamese Community in Australia and its Western Australian president, Dr Anh Nguyen, for the wonderful work he and his management committee have done for sharing the colour and the vibrancy of Vietnamese culture with other Western Australians. I wish the Western Australian Vietnamese community a happy new year and, if I might dare, chuc mung nam moi.