Matt Thistlethwaite (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for the Republic) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A few years ago a group of primary school students from Mount Sinai College were racially abused on their bus trip home from school. I condemned the actions of the perpetrators at the time, and in the wake of this shocking act I have worked with local school students and schools to discourage such behaviour and to come up with a way to express our community's view that everyone belongs.

We came up with an idea for a public artwork. Last Friday we launched our Harmony Day mural at Maroubra, just adjacent to Mount Sinai College on Anzac Parade, as a public expression of inclusiveness, respect and multiculturalism in our community. Directed by social art company, Muralisto, students from Matraville Sports High School, Randwick Girls High School, Champagnat Catholic College and Emmanuel School developed and painted a beautiful public artwork that expresses harmony, respect and inclusiveness for all in our community.

I want to thank the students. I'm particularly pleased that there was an Indigenous influence in the artwork. I also want to thank Only About Children, the owners of the wall on which the artwork is painted and the community sponsors: Westfield Eastgardens, owned by the Scentre Group; Orana Services, a great Indigenous business in our community; and Randwick City Council, whose logo is 'A sense of community'.

I'm very proud to have worked with these students, with the schools and with local government and businesses to lodge this project on Harmony Week as a public expression of the theme of Harmony Week in our community, that everyone belongs.