House debates

Monday, 12 February 2024

Statements by Members

Fowler Electorate: Australia Day

4:41 pm

Photo of Dai LeDai Le (Fowler, Independent) Share this | | Hansard source

Australia Day is a wonderful day that we celebrate in our community of Fowler. It's something that everybody in our community marks and honours. I want to acknowledge two members of our community in the Australia Day 2024 honours list: Mrs Kathleen Whiteley, from Cabramatta West; and Nicholas Magriplis, from Mount Pritchard. It is wonderful to have our local communities being acknowledged, and I hope I encourage more members from our community to participate in the Australia Day honours list.

At the local level, we also have our Australia Day events which the Fairfield City Council proudly holds every year. This year we have amazing community leaders being awarded. The Fairfield Citizen of the Year is Srey Kang, who is part of the Khmer community in New South Wales, based in Bonnyrigg. Pearl Jameson and the Wetherill Park Crochet and Knitting Group are the Fairfield City Volunteers of the Year. Erica Chau is the Fairfield City Young Citizen of the Year. And Munib Smajic, a great young sportsperson, was awarded the Fairfield City Sportsperson of the Year.

Our community, on the day, have Australia Day flags everywhere; council put them up very proudly, in sharing the day. We, as migrants, believe Australia has given us the opportunity to rebuild our lives. That is something that we want to acknowledge continuously.