Alice Jordan-Baird (Gorton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'd first like to commend my good friend the member for Barton for introducing this really important motion to the House. She's already making such an incredible difference here in federal parliament, and she is working so hard for the people of Barton. I'm honoured that she's my bench buddy in the House of Representatives as well.

There are grade 6 students in my community in Melbourne's western suburbs who'll spend a term this year learning about Australian parliament. These are students who leave their homes for school each morning—homes where they speak a language other than English with their families. They are students who spend their days in classrooms learning alongside, and building lifelong friendships with, other kids also from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds. Every day, it is an honour to represent these students and to represent the wonderful community which I call home in Melbourne's western suburbs.

During Harmony Week last week, it was extra special. That is because my community is a true microcosm of multicultural Australia. Our community is home to an incredibly diverse set of constituents. More than 30,000 of my constituents speak a language other than English at home. There are tens of thousands of families across the electorate, and, amongst these families, we have one of the highest proportions of first- and second-generation migrants in Australia. More than 33 per cent of my electorate was born overseas, all of whom have chosen to contribute to our nation's story and to our country's strength in making Australia home. You see that and you feel that during the months of February and March, a time when multiple faith holidays collide: Lunar New Year, Ramadan, Lent, Sikh and Hindu New Year, the month of Chet, Farsi New Year, Easter and Passover, among many others. It's a holy time of the year. With current uncertain world events, more than ever we feel the importance of coming together with community in shared humanity, reflection and cultural expression to gather across generations, passing on stories, faith and values.

As Australians, this shared humanity is who we are, and our multiculturalism is an asset. It is the rich and diverse cultures who have come together to make Australia the country it is today. You see that in my community of Gorton in Melbourne's western suburbs, where our diversity is seen at the Quang Minh Buddhist Temple's Lunar New Year celebration, which I attended alongside thousands of other Victorians from across the west. Together, we welcomed the Year of the Horse. Lunar New Year is a time for renewal and hope, and the horse symbolises strength, energy and determination. I loved standing with my Vietnamese community as we wished each other a chuc mung nam moi.

You see our diversity at the Hola Mohalla festival in Plumpton and the Holi festival in Kings Park. Holi is a festival that is a reflection of good overcoming evil, a theme that's rooted in ancient traditions. And we see that throughout our communities today, when we acknowledge that resilience, courage and faith can overcome even the greatest challenges.

I saw our diversity in Sydenham with the Maltese community celebrating Saint Sebastian and at the opening of two new Hindu temples in my electorate in Mount Cottrell and in Rockbank and of the Sri Durga Temple in Deanside, which I attended with the Minister for Home Affairs as well. I saw it with the Hazara community at an iftar dinner, talking to some incredible young women who were pursuing their careers in STEM, and during Eid as well at the Masjid Minhaj-ul-Quran. Ramadan is a time of deep reflection, renewal and devotion, whether it's sharing iftar meals with neighbours, supporting those experiencing hardship or giving generously through community initiatives. It's a month that calls for patience, generosity and compassion as well. It's these values which bring light into our community.

Multiculturalism is at the heart of our community, and it doesn't take much more than stepping outside and looking around to realise just that. You also see multiculturalism when you look around this very room in this parliamentary chamber. That is because our Labor Party is committed to electing parliamentarians who genuinely reflect our community's life experiences and values. That matters. It matters because it translates into real policies that have real impacts on our multicultural communities. That's why, for the first time, we've appointed a dedicated minister for multicultural affairs, and we've elevated that position into cabinet.

As I said, there are grade 6 students in my community in Melbourne's western suburbs who will spend a term this year learning about civics, citizenship and Australian parliament. When they do, I hope they look to us in Australia's federal parliament, and I hope they feel represented. On that, I commend this motion to the House.

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