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

In the current debate on religious freedom, it is important that we're respectful and tolerant of the religious beliefs of Australians. Religious freedom extends into the realm of cultural freedom, which is important in our multicultural society. Individuals must be free to live their lives according to deeply held values and beliefs which are not only religious but cultural in nature without impinging on the rights of others to exercise their rights and freedoms.

Earlier this week I joined with members and senators to attend the Diwali, Annakut and Hindu festivals exhibition in the Great Hall of parliament. These celebrations are a visible symbol of the Australian Indian and Hindu communities reaching out to the broader Australian community to enhance cultural understanding and increase harmony, integration and social cohesion. The event provided members of parliament with the opportunity to broaden their understanding of important festivals in the Hindu calendar—namely, Diwali, the festival of lights, and Annakut, the festival of gratitude. The cultural exchange also provided government representatives with an opportunity to further understand Indian culture through its festivals and its people. Over time, this annual event in parliament will help encourage more Australians of Indian origin to increase their knowledge of parliament as Australia's key democratic institution and become active participants in Australia's democratic processes.

These events were made possible through the hard work of hundreds of volunteers from all across Australia. The events provide a wonderful example of the great community spirit in our successful Australian multicultural society. I commend the charitable work of BAPS in our community. Last month, a walkathon was held at Neil Hawkins Park in Joondalup with more than 400 participants, and $9,000 was raised to aid the Perth Children's Hospital Foundation. This is in addition to the annual food drive, which collects thousands of cans of tinned food for local charities, such as the Salvation Army and the Spiers Centre. Members also support organisations such as the Red Cross Blood Service through regular donations.

I would like to formally express my thanks to BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, its trustees, directors and national volunteers for their hard work and contribution to enriching our community and building tolerance through cultural understanding. I make special mention of Yogesh Shah, Hasmukh Wadia, Dylan Wadia—