Thursday, 5 February 2026

 David LIMBRICK (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (09:51): I also would like to talk about Australia Day. Whilst there are many people who denigrate Australia Day and talk it down, there are many people who have come to Australia who see Australia Day as a very important day. In fact for many of them it was the day that they became citizens of Australia. I went to Frankston, and I was joined by Mr Galea, Mrs Hermans and Ms Payne, where we welcomed people to take the pledge to uphold the rights and liberties of other Australians. On Friday I was honoured to be invited to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Australia Day dinner, where they spoke very carefully about how much they care about Australia and how they are very grateful to be here. They escaped persecution mostly in Pakistan, because they are not accepted by many in that country. They had a very young girl who gave a speech on how love for one’s country is integral to their beliefs as a religion and how caring for one’s country is the same as caring for other people. They demonstrate that in spades. Instead of complaining about Australia and instead of complaining about things, they get out and say, ‘What can I do better in my country?’ Right out the front of the building every week they give food to people in Dandenong who are doing it tough, so good on them.