Anne Stanley (Werriwa, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to support the motion and thank and congratulate the member for McEwen for his ongoing contribution to his diverse and multicultural community. Like the honourable member, my electorate of Werriwa has a strong and proud history of many religions, cultures and backgrounds. One of those religions, Sikhism, last month celebrated a significant event: the 550th birthday of its founder, Guru Nanak. Sikhs have a long history in this nation, dating back to the first half of the 19th century. Despite their small numbers, they've made a significant contribution and played a hand in many of this country's major historical milestones—they were at the gold rush, they fought in both world wars, including the Gallipoli campaign, and they made a sizeable contribution to our agriculture sector, especially in bananas and sugarcane.

Sikhism has grown rapidly over the last decade and is now the fifth-largest religion in Australia and the sixth-largest religion in my electorate of Werriwa. I'd like to take this opportunity to make specific mention of two Sikh organisations doing great work in my local community. The Sikh Mission Centre at Austral has been serving its local Sikh community since the early 1990s. For close to two decades, the centre has provided the community with religious service at the gurdwara and vegetarian meals out of its kitchen. It held its celebration for the birth of Guru Nanak in late November. While I was unable to attend, I am well informed that the event was a great success. I congratulate Bawa Singh, the team at the Austral Sikh Mission Centre and all of the devotees for the great work they've done in our local community over 20 years.

Turbans 4 Australia, a Sikh organisation based in my electorate, held their celebration for the birth of Guru Nanak in early November. The event featured a parade through the streets of Liverpool, followed by an event in Bigge Park. The event was very well attended by local Sikhs and wider members of the community, with stalls, performances and vegetarian meals for all in attendance. I also commend Turbans 4 Australia for a recent community campaign to assist our fellow Australians suffering from the tragic bushfires, particularly on the New South Wales north coast. The Sikh community came together, gathered their donations, filled a truck full of pallets and drove it from Sydney to the north coast and onwards to Tenterfield. Under the banner of mates helping mates, these amazing people donated their time, resources, money and possessions to ensure that our bushfire victims got just what they needed. Turbans 4 Australia are regularly involved in charity drives and are always willing to lend a hand to their fellow Australians. Like all Sikhs in this country, they make a contribution to our multicultural nation through the values first inspired by Guru Nanak over five centuries ago and shared by their fellow Australians: selfless service, social justice and equality.

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