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

Namaste. I stand before you this afternoon to congratulate the Indian Society of Western Australia on the official opening of the first Indian community centre in Western Australia, and I'm delighted that $2.5 million was able to be provided by the coalition government in support of this community centre. For 50 years the Indian community in Western Australia has been dreaming of having its own home. I'm delighted that the coalition government—supported by me and Ben Morton, the member for Tangney—has been able to bring this dream alive for such a wonderful diaspora in Western Australia.

No matter where we live in Australia, all of us know the tremendous vitality the Indian community brings—whether it's in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Hobart or, as I well know, Perth. Having established a new Indian centre in Willetton, which my Western Australian colleagues would know is south of the river, I'm delighted to be the first person to begin arguing for an Indian centre north of the river so that the wonderful Indian diaspora can continue to celebrate its rich culture by providing language rooms and performance centres for all of its wonderful people. I congratulate the Indian Society on their great work and leadership in bringing this very worthy community project alive.

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! It being 2 pm, the time allotted for senators' statements has expired and we will move to questions without notice.