Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is great to be back in Canberra for the first sitting day of the year. One of the highlights of the summer break is getting to spend time in the electorate with the people we represent. One of my favourite occasions to do this is on Australia Day each year. This year was no different. The local MC at the city's South Perth foreshore ceremony, Gerry Gannon, who is also a local radio identity, had the same sentiments. Australia Day is a very important day for me, and it gives us all time to reflect on just how lucky we are to be part of this great nation. Whether you spent the day with friends or family around the barbie or watching the cricket or are an Aussie who celebrated abroad, it is our day to enjoy everything Australian, and I hope your Australia Day this year was as good as mine, Madam Deputy Speaker.

Australia Day is also a day to reflect on the many achievements of some of our great Australians. I would like to congratulate those awarded as Australians of the Year for 2017. We are all very proud of you and your achievements. I would also like to congratulate the local council winners who won awards on Australia Day as well.

In the lead-up to Australia Day this year, I sent out a small package to each of my constituents, consisting of an Australia Day newsletter which listed each of the local Australia Day events to be held in my electorate of Swan. In addition to this, I included an Australia Day magnet with our nation's anthem. Following the receipt of the Australia Day package, we also had a number of constituents who called into the office to collect an Australian flag to wave proudly on Australia Day.

My office received such positive feedback about the Australia Day package. Many noted how proud they are to be Australian and shared their plans for 26 January. One of the thankyou emails I received from a constituent read:

We moved here in Perth with our little 4 year old daughter in September and I'm really grateful for being part of this country. This year, Australia Day is also a little bit mine and I'm really proud of it—I really feel Australia is my country.

This email resonated with me because Australia Day is a little bit mine too, as it is yours and as it is with every single Australian from Carnarvon to Coolangatta to Katherine to Port Lincoln. It belongs to all of us.

This year I attended the City of South Perth's Australia Day citizenship ceremony on the South Perth foreshore before joining the City of Belmont's citizenship ceremony at the RSL club branch. It was great to see so many Australians out and about and getting involved in our local community events, along with those who became new citizens. Gerry Gannon had five of his family members from Ireland out, and they were confirmed as citizens on the day.

I would like to formally congratulate and welcome to this wonderful country our newest Aussies. You have adopted Australia as your home, and I am certain you will have a wonderful future here, and your contributions will only strengthen this wonderful country of ours.

I also take this opportunity to pass on my condolences to the family of those who were involved in the plane accident on the Swan River, Peter Lynch and Endah Cakrawati, who died on the foreshore that day.