Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yesterday I was truly honoured to move a motion expressing the Senate's deep appreciation to members of the Brisbane Sikh Gurdwara for their efforts in helping people in need during the coronavirus pandemic. The motion was co-sponsored by my fellow LNP senators from Queensland and was passed. It is important, extremely important, that this place acknowledges and appreciates the efforts of the Brisbane Sikh Gurdwara and that that appreciation is now on the parliamentary record, because it should be. It should be because it represents the best of Australia's values—Australians reaching out to people in need.

I also place on the record my appreciation for the efforts of the members of all of other Sikh gurdwaras across our beautiful country, helping people at this time, and that includes the Singh Sabha Temple Brisbane at Taigum; Gold Coast Gurdwara, Sikh Temple and Community Education Centre at Helensvale; and also the Gurdwara Sahib Gold Coast at Nerang—and all the other gurdwaras in all the other states across our beautiful country.

I'd like to thank Parnam Singh for organising my visit to the Brisbane Sikh Gurdwara, and I'd also like to place my thanks on the record and my appreciation of Nash Dosanjh for organising for me to assist in the drop-off of meals and grocery hampers with members of the gurdwara. I deeply appreciate their assistance.

The Brisbane Sikh Gurdwara has provided approximately 20,000 free cooked meals and 2,000 free grocery hampers to people in need during the coronavirus pandemic. In providing that assistance, members of the Brisbane Sikh Gurdwara have volunteered their time continually over the last three months. I met some of these volunteers. Some of these volunteers have worked every single day for over two months between the hours of 6.30 am and 8.30 pm on this project—14 hours a day on this project—to deliver those 20,000 free cooked meals and 2,000 free grocery hampers. Fourteen hours a day is quite extraordinary, and it's appropriate that I put their names on this parliamentary record so their selfless service can be recognised by their fellow Australians.

Tejpal Singh has been eminently involved in organising food and groceries, packing and delivery. Gurpreet Singh Bal has been packing food and has been in charge of the kitchen—and what a well-run kitchen it is. It's certainly better run than my kitchen upstairs at the moment! Surinder Singh has been grocery packing. Rocky Singh has been packing food and cooking. Kumar has been handing over cook food to people attending the gurdwara to pick up food and grocery hampers. Mohinder Singh has been delivering food and groceries. Gurpreet Singh: cooking food—and what beautiful food it is. He said to me when I was visiting the temple that one of the reasons this food tastes so good is because of the TLC, the tender loving care, that's put into the food. And he's right; he's absolutely correct. Gurpreet Singh: cooking food—as I said, beautiful food. Haprit Singh: handing out food to people attending to picking up food and grocery hampers. Sonu has been helping in the kitchen, cleaning these huge industrial sized cooking pots and, as I mentioned, Nash Dosanjh has been delivering food and groceries. Nash also provided me with an opportunity to participate in the delivery of some of these free cooked meals and grocery hampers, and it was an absolute joy spending time with members of the Brisbane Sikh temple on their bus travelling around Brisbane delivering this free food and grocery hampers. There was such an atmosphere of kindness and goodness and good humour on that bus. It was just an absolutely terrific experience. The first person in need we visited was Alejandro from Colombia, an international student. I really pay homage to all of our multicultural communities who are out there assisting international students at this point in time.

I would like to make three reflections on what I saw. The first is on the dignity and respect with which members of the gurdwara treated every person they assisted. It can be hard for people to reach out for help. They might be embarrassed. They might be self-conscious. They might find it quite difficult to seek that assistance. But the members of the gurdwara treated them with absolute respect. Secondly, I note that the assistance has been provided to Australians and visitors to Australia irrespective of race, religion or nationality. That is a reflection of the Sikh religion, a belief that we as humans are all equal and part of the oneness of humanity. Third was the importance for assistance to be given in a selfless way, not looking for anything in return, just wanting to help someone, just wanting to give. I must say that in my time visiting the temple the first time and then participating in the deliveries not once did any of those volunteers or members of that community raise any personal hardship with me. There were no complaints. Their sole focus was on helping others. It was absolutely inspirational. They also told me in terms of the importance of giving that each donation has the same moral significance. It doesn't matter if it's $1 or $1,000; it has the same moral significance. That's such a powerful message.

This is not the first time that this gurdwara—and I'm sure for gurdwaras all over this country—has provided assistance to people in need. I was told that the Brisbane Sikh gurdwara previously helped members of the Australian community at the time of the most recent bushfires and droughts and has delivered water and other essential services. Of course, as at many gurdwaras, the Brisbane Sikh gurdwara has a langar, a community kitchen providing free meals, prepared by volunteers, to all the visitors of the gurdwara, without distinction related to religion, gender, economic status or ethnicity. They all sit on the floor together, representing their common humanity and their equality.

When we talk about the Australian character, when we talk about what it means to be Australian, it is defined by the actions of each and every one of us. And the efforts of the members of the Brisbane Sikh gurdwara represent the very best of Australia.