Thursday, 10 February 2022

Victoria Hongkongers Association

Mr LIMBRICK (South Eastern Metropolitan) (10:17): I would like to thank the Victoria Hongkongers Association for giving me the honour of giving the opening address at their Victoria Hongkongers Association event on Australia Day. At this event the Hong Kong diaspora in Melbourne came together to show their arts, their music and also their local businesses, which were in areas such as construction, crafts, trades and food. I also got to see some of the materials that they produce talking about Australian values, including upholding democracy, freedom of speech and freedom of religion and also the history of the Hong Kong diaspora in Melbourne.

Also I had the privilege of again meeting Ted Hui, who was a member of the Legislative Council in Hong Kong and was subsequently forced to flee due to the oppression there. I think all Australians should be honoured that he has chosen Australia to be his home now. He now lives in Adelaide. I had the honour of meeting him again and talking about what the situation is in Hong Kong at the moment. Although many Hongkongers have made successful lives here in Australia, we must always remember those that are still oppressed in Hong Kong. I would also like to thank the federal government for opening up new pathways for Hongkongers to come and live and work in Australia.