Ian Goodenough (Moore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I wish to thank members of the BAPS Indian community based in Wangara for supporting a range of charitable causes in our community. Yesterday, Mr Yogesh Shah and Mr Dylan Wadia from the Moore electorate joined representatives from communities across Australia for the Hindu Diwali and Annakut celebrations here in the Great Hall of our federal parliament. Many members and senators were privileged to take part in this magnificent multicultural event. I take this opportunity to formally commend members of the BAPS community for their community service. In particular, this month members are collecting cans of tinned food and donating them to the Salvation Army and the Spiers Centre, in Heathridge, for the purpose of making up Christmas hampers needed for the festive season. With two weeks to go, the group is on track to match last year's sterling effort of donating more than 3,000 cans of food.

In addition, members of the community have been involved in donating blood and plasma products required for blood transfusions at the local Red Cross blood donor centre in Edgewater. On behalf of the Australian parliament, I commend the members of the BAPS community for their civic-mindedness and their contribution to a better society.