St Patrick's Cathedral is the spiritual heart of Parramatta's Catholic community and a place where faith is turned into practical compassion. An example of this is the parish's planned trial overnight shelter in the cathedral hall on Friday nights for people experiencing homelessness in Parramatta. I heard about this trial from my friends Michael Lilley and Claire Pospischil, members of the parish pastoral council. Thank you both for your incredible work. Many hands are making this trial possible. Mattresses and linen have been donated. Heaven on Earth will bring the food. Orange Sky will visit with its mobile shower and washing machine. Uniting NSW will handle referrals and support. Trained volunteers will sit alongside their guests as equals, offering a safe bed, a meal and a friendly face. Congratulations to the Parramatta parish pastoral council and parish social justice committee for this important and compassionate initiative.

I also want to wish the whole of Australia a happy Hindu Heritage Month. Two years ago I asked this parliament to recognise October as Hindu Heritage Month in honour of festivals such as Navaratri, Dashain, Durga Puja, Lakshmi Puja and, of course, Diwali, the festival of lights. I thank the Hindu Council of Australia for building this up every year. In my electorate, Harris Park is lit up and temples and halls welcome neighbours to celebrate these festivals together. Hindu Australians make a massive contribution to Australia as doctors, nurses, engineers, teachers and small-business owners.

This year, recognition also means facing harder truths. Many people have told me about growing racism, violent attacks, hateful graffiti and online abuse aimed at their South Asian heritage or their faith. After the Nepal floods, at the hardest moment for their families, Australians with Hindu names were told they weren't Australian. That's not true, and that rhetoric has no place here. Too often incidents like these go unreported. That's why last week I was glad to hear from the organisations launching SAKSHI, a secure online tool for Hindu Australians to report hate, discrimination and Hinduphobia. It was developed by the Hindu Council of Australia, the Australian Hindu community, the Australian Cohesion Forum and Hindus Down Under.

To the Hindu community of Parramatta and across Australia, thank you for this initiative. Thank you for what you do for our country, and happy Hindu Heritage Month.