Michael GALEA (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (10:01): Thirty-five years of freedom, independence and striving for a better future is what we gathered for in Federation Square to mark the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence Day earlier this week, along with Mr Tarlamis, Mrs Hermans and the members for Caulfield and Bulleen. It was an opportunity to reflect on a relatively young nation’s history, but a young nation with a very ancient culture, a culture that has sustained and endured through all attempts to suppress it in the past and that is doing so again right now. It was wonderful to gather with Melbourne’s Ukrainian community in Federation Square this week, as it was to gather with our south-east Ukrainian community at the Noble Park Ukrainian hall just a week ago, for a wonderful afternoon of celebration of Ukrainian food and culture, with some very special guests from our local Latvian and Lithuanian communities as well. These events remind us that the freedom that we take so easily for granted here is very fragile and that whilst countries like Ukraine are fighting for their survival on the other side of the world, it is their fight that is on behalf of the whole world. I certainly hope that all world leaders, including here in Australia, do everything that we can and redouble our support for Ukraine. Slava Ukraini.