Andrew Bragg (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 2 September this year I attended the national conference of the Non-Resident Nepali Association, the NRNA, in Parramatta. The NRNA has been established for some time to bring together the Nepalese diaspora in Australia to promote the interests of the bilateral relationship Australia has with Nepal and to promote of Nepalese culture within our great country. The relationship between our two countries is very important. We host so many young Nepalese in our country for an education, and I believe this is one of Australia's secret weapons.

For many years, the NRNA has hosted events. I have personally attended one of the major events in Burwood in Sydney. It is a remarkably entertaining experience to attend an NRNA event. It was a great pleasure to be there for their annual meeting, where they elected a new executive, and I want to extend my congratulations to Mr Anil Pokhrel, who is the new President of the NRNA. I know that the body will go on to bigger and better things under his stewardship. It's a very important diaspora group in Australia. I love being able to work with Nepalese Australians. We launched a parliamentary friendship group earlier this year with the support of the other parties, and it was a great pleasure to be there in Parramatta only a couple of weeks ago.