Michael Danby (Melbourne Ports, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—Mr Deputy Speaker, I congratulate you on your elevation to high office. Like a lot of people who come to speak in this parliament, I want to reflect on the last few months and the joys of being a local member. Recently I attended, with my good friend the state member for Albert Park, Martin Foley, an event at St Luke’s Church: ‘150 Years—celebrating life, sharing hope’, on 7 February 2008. That was the 150th anniversary of the first service at St Luke’s, the wonderful old bluestone church in Dorcas Street, South Melbourne.

This church was, in the early days of Melbourne, the place people went to from Government House for their regular Sunday church service. The first minister in that church served for 51 years, beginning in 1858. The church served the community of Emerald Hill, which grew out of the first settlement in Melbourne. In those original days there were some 7,000 tents around the church. As it did in the past, the church continues its outreach to the local community. The church was principally formed for and worked with the poor in the area of South Melbourne. It continues that excellent work to this day.

An incredibly valuable piece of local history has been put together in the form of a video about St Luke’s. It was a very moving service. Our local Anglican minister in South Melbourne, the Rev. Nick Hearnshaw, spoke very movingly about the history of St Luke’s in South Melbourne and explained its whole history to the congregation. He was joined by the Most Rev. Phillip Freier, the Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne, who spoke about what an act of faith it was for people in those early days of Melbourne settlement to build a big bluestone church in that area—there was not a lot of wealth around at the time—servicing the poor in that area of Melbourne and not in the main metropolitan area. The service was concluded by a wonderful presentation from the new young minister, the Rev. John Carrick, who in a great act of faith is joining the congregation with his wife to continue with their outreach. Many of us who have been to that great cathedral in Istanbul, Santa Sofia, built by the Emperor Constantine, know how impressive churches can be. But it was, as the Most Rev. Phillip Freier said, a great act of faith to build a big bluestone church amongst the 7,000 tents of Emerald Hill back in 1858. I salute the congregants of St Luke’s and the ministers thereof and wish them another 150 years of success.