Andrew Giles (Scullin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Cities and Urban Infrastructure) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Many hundreds of thousands of Australians have just celebrated the Lunar New Year. It is celebrated by many, of course, as Chinese New Year and by many Vietnamese Australians as Tet. They've welcomed in the Year of the Tiger. I want to wish all who celebrated a safe, prosperous and hopeful year ahead.

Of course, the tiger is associated with valour, and I note its strength in exorcising evil—something I think all of us need to lean on as we work our way through the challenges of this year. For many, this year's celebrations have been different, as they were last year and the year before. I think about those who've been unable to travel and join with family, which is such an important part of this occasion, or unable even to gather together. I know that I myself was not able to join in the celebrations with the Whittlesea Chinese Association as I ordinarily would—I send all my thoughts to Regina Huning, the president, and all the members of that group—or even be part of the gatherings that are normally such a highlight of Melbourne's Chinatown. I want to say that everything we can do to enable these gatherings to come together is something that we should all work towards as we recognise the celebrations that have taken place—the passing of red envelopes and other matters.

As the representative of a very diverse community and as Labor's shadow minister for multicultural affairs, I have also been reflecting on remarks made by the Prime Minister in question time today, when he sought to link support for multiculturalism in this country to support for his bill to deal with issues relating to discrimination on the basis of religion. These remarks were unworthy, irresponsible and wrong in two respects. Firstly, neither he nor any of us should presume to speak for the enormous diversity that is multicultural and, indeed, multifaith Australian. Secondly, he shouldn't mislead the parliament as to the views expressed by multicultural organisations on this matter. Those organisations that submitted to the parliamentary inquiries, such as FECCA, the Hindu Council of Australia, the Buddhist Council of New South Wales and the Diversity Council Australia, urged parliamentarians not to support the bills in their current form.

So, for once, the Prime Minister should listen and, for once, he should lead. In dealing with these difficult and important issues, he should take responsibility for trying to bring Australians together, respect their viewpoints and not seek to divide.