Tuesday, 25 August 2026

 Kathleen MATTHEWS-WARD (Broadmeadows) (13:07): I had another wonderful week with community, celebrating Mawlid with Professor Dr Sheikh Salim Alwan OAM, respected religious leaders, the Muslim Welfare Trust and the Hararian Organization, and again tonight being hosted by Waqar, Samina, Abeer and Kaif and the hardworking team at Qadri House, Karachi Street Food, and Azhar and Sabin from Taxviser. Suraya Cultural Forum hosted a beautiful celebration of language and tradition through the sharing of poetry and deeply moving stories at St George Chaldean church in Campbellfield. I was honoured to cut the ribbon at the Fawkner Chemist Discount Centre celebrations in Bonwick Street, and I thank Ahmed, May, Dalia, Meena and all the pharmacists for the important work they do in community.

I attended incredible Onam celebrations with the Glenroy Residents Association for Malayalees and Glenroy secondary school last Sunday; with Father Gigi Mathew Vakathanam and the St Mary’s Indian Orthodox community at St Matthews on Saturday; commemorating service, sacrifice and 60 ‍years since the Battle of Long Tan at the Glenroy RSL last Sunday; blessed to visit Antonine College for the Feast of the Assumption with His Excellency Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay and Father Richard Jabbour and the member for Greenvale. I joined volunteers at Oak Park Pascoe Vale Neighbourhood Watch, and I thank them; the SES Fawkner unit and Fawkner and Hume Neighbourhood Watch, who run the free safer plate program; and I supported women’s leadership with the Australia New Zealand Lebanon Chamber of Commerce and Industry. I also take this opportunity to – (Time expired)