Lunar New Year
Mr TAK (Clarinda) (09:57): I send my best wishes to all those celebrating the Lunar New Year in 2022. The Lunar New Year, and with it the spirit of renewal and hope, is something that has resonated with all Victorians. It is something that we as Victorians can celebrate in the spirit of togetherness. It is a wonderful time of the year and a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the contribution of our many diverse communities in our state and nation. Along with the hardworking member for Oakleigh, I was delighted to join the celebration last week with the Australia & China Music Communication & Promotion Association, the Melbourne Cloud Concert and DanDi Talks. Thank you to all the participants, representatives and community leaders. It was also a wonderful celebration of culture and heritage, from the Springvale temple to the Bright Moon temple in Springvale South. We could still hear the dragon dancing and firecrackers for almost two weeks. The spirit of sharing and acceptance is so important in our wonderfully diverse state, where almost half of Victorians either were born overseas or have parents born overseas. We really are a multicultural success story, thanks to the many waves of migrants who have settled here with open hearts and minds. So to everyone celebrating, I wish you a very happy New Year, the Year of the Tiger.