Andrew McLachlan (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

On each Army birthday, the recipients of the Jonathan Church Good Soldiering Award are announced. The award is named in honour of Trooper Jonathan Church, who, in 1995, risked his life to carry a child to safety. Trooper Church's actions personified the values of the Australian Army soldier. He demonstrated ethical leadership, strength of character and service beyond expectation. Soldiers and junior officers who receive this prestigious award are recognised as exemplars of Army values, which are leadership, compassion and ethical soldiering.

On the 125th birthday of the Australian Army, it was awarded to Corporal Sarah Vella, who I've met and who is in every way an exemplar of Army values and a role model to her fellow soldiers. She is posted to the 4th/19th Prince of Wales's Light Horse Regiment and serves as a troop staff member responsible for supervising, guiding and supporting up to 40 Army Reserve recruits, including managing and supporting their welfare concerns. A young recruit who was suffering an injury which escalated into a life-threatening crisis was saved by Corporal Sarah Vella, who was the steady, decisive presence that that soldier needed. I thank her for her service. I congratulate her on her award.

Recently, I had the privilege of attending the reopening of the Adelaide Holocaust Museum and Andrew Steiner Education Centre. The education centre has been developed, as part of the museum, to be an exhibition space featuring galleries that will provide displays on Jewish culture and life, as well as the Holocaust and antisemitism. I acknowledge that the Australian government has contributed $2.5 million to the project.

It was great to see my old friend Andrew Steiner present and giving, as he normally does, a moving speech, reminding us that we must fight antisemitism every day and never forget the horrors that occurred in the 1930s. He himself is a survivor of that horrible time and that great evil that afflicted Europe. Ms Henderson-Sapir, the chief executive officer, also delivered a speech, and she quoted from, as she said, the ethics of our ancestors. It was a beautiful phrase: 'It is not up to you to finish the task, nor are you free to avoid it.' I took that to heart. As she outlined in her speech, every interaction and every connection we have in life must add to bringing good to our community rather than evil.

I'll leave you with the words of Rabbi Frankie Salzman, who said these words when blessing the new development: 'May this museum continue to be a beacon of that remembrance as well as hope. May the stories preserved within these walls awaken compassion in all who enter. May they deepen our understanding across difference. May they strengthen our shared commitment to human dignity and to standing against hatred in all its forms.' I thank the Jewish community for their invitation. I was honoured to attend, and I look forward to visiting the museum and all my friends there as soon and as much as I can, subject to Senate duties and my travel.

It was a great privilege for me to be invited to the Mahmood Mosque, one of the largest mosques in South Australia, by Imam Kamran Tahir and community elder Munawar Rana. They showed me great hospitality and honoured me with the opportunity to speak to the community. This is a community that actively engages in South Australia to advance the interests of our state. They aspire to be a beacon of peace, unity and service to humanity. On Australia Day, their celebrations centred around not only praying for the progress and prosperity of all of us in Australia but acknowledging their deep love of this country and community. It was very moving to me, and it reminded me again of the importance of multiculturalism. This nation is founded on multicultural communities working together to produce a better and more beautiful community, and it's the love that these communities share with each other and their fellow South Australians, underpinning our diversity, that gives us strength. Again, it should remind all of us in this place that we must at all times support those that support us and that we should appreciate the rich diversity of our great nation.