House debates

Tuesday, 3 March 2020

Statements by Members

Coronavirus: Chinese Restaurants

1:34 pm

Photo of Russell BroadbentRussell Broadbent (Monash, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I don't know how you're approaching the coronavirus yourselves, but I know that what I've done is to make sure that each Friday, when this parliament's not sitting, I've gone to a Chinese restaurant. I've sat in the window to make sure everyone can see we're there. I go to one in the city and one in Warragul. Peter and Pienna Duan run Jade Chinese Cuisine restaurant in Warragul. I'll be joining them again on Friday. They don't know it yet, but I'll be joining them again on Friday to make the point to the people of Warragul and surrounds and Gippsland that it's great to go out to a Chinese restaurant. Get out there! There is not one single reason why you shouldn't be enjoying the quality and the hospitality of the Chinese community, especially in Melbourne and across Victoria—not one reason. Peter and Pienna provide beautiful food at their Jade Chinese Cuisine restaurant. It's one of the many Chinese restaurants in my electorate and, of course, Melbourne has been struck particularly heavily by people not attending Chinese restaurants. It's just not on. Get out there. Enjoy yourselves. Go to the places you've been before. I went into Melbourne with a couple of mates to have our normal get-together meeting. The people who owned that restaurant were particularly grateful for our attendance there. To you Australians: don't step back. There's nothing to fear. Get out and get into your own local Chinese restaurant.