Angie Bell (Moncrieff, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last month, I visited the Australian International Islamic College, where I addressed grade 7 and grade 8 students. I was asked by the teacher, Shintaro Koido, and the head of campus, Merima Celahmetovic, to outline my role in the Australian parliament and my views on multiculturalism in this country. After my introduction by Shadi Chami, the students were keen to engage. They asked questions about vaccinations, closing the gap and, most importantly, the things that are most important to our government. My response was: to fight COVID and deliver our free and voluntary vaccine rollout to safeguard them, their community and our country; to strengthen our economy and create more jobs for our recovery; to guarantee health, education and aged-care services for them, for their parents and for their grandparents; to protect them and their families from those in other countries who would seek to undermine our democracy and freedoms; and to care for our country and their future with a plan for net zero by 2050. I promised the children they could see our proud democracy in action when they watch their member stand in parliament and talk freely about their school and their religion.

Before I left, I was presented with a gift from Dzenan Mehic and the students. I thank them for their kindness. To all the students and teachers at the Australian International Islamic College: salaam alaikum.