Vince Connelly (Stirling, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

This Saturday, 14 November, marks Diwali, the Festival of Light, celebrated during the Hindu lunar solar month, Kartika. Here in Australia, it will be celebrated by our vibrant Indian community, including in my electorate of Stirling. Diwali provides us an opportunity to share in the rich cultural music, dance and food that always accompany Indian celebrations, as well as the opportunity to reaffirm the Australia-India relationship.

Under the leadership of prime ministers Scott Morrison and Shri Narendra Modi, Australia and India have secured a comprehensive strategic partnership. Along with shared membership of multilateral fora, such as the Quad and this month's Exercise Malabar, this enhanced bilateral relationship lays out a shared view of the world and how we will cooperate on science, technology and research; economic development; the securing of an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific that operates according to the rules based order; and defence cooperation. From the highest levels of government, through to the most local friendships, Australia and India are finally coming together as partners. I'd like to thank the local Indian communities and individuals in Stirling and in WA, including my friend Jim Seth, for playing such a vital role in bringing our two nations closer together in respect and in friendship.

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