HUNG EMPERORS CEREMONY

Ms BETTISON (Ramsay) (15:44): On Saturday 24 March I attended the commemoration ceremony of the Hung emperors, which was held at the Parafield Gardens home of a member of the Asian Elderly Association. Also in attendance were Mr Hieu Van Le, the Lieutenant Governor and Chairman of the South Australian Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs Commission; Hon. Jing Lee MLC, parliamentary secretary to the shadow minister for multicultural affairs; and ward councillor Ms Oanh Nguyen. Also in attendance were several representatives of the Buddhist Association of South Australia, as well as several representatives of the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia and Vietnam Veterans Federation.

The festival is held each year and honours King Hung Vuong, a king whose ascension was critical to the formation of a cohesive Vietnamese culture and identity. The celebration commemorates the essential founding of Vietnamese civilisation and society. It is also about showing gratitude towards those whose legacy has allowed Vietnamese people to live in peace and harmony.

It was wonderful to take part in the celebrations, and I would like to commend the association, its committee members and, particularly, the President, Mr Phan Van Nguyen, for undertaking the important job of organising this and other cultural festivals. Not only do the festivals allow young Asian people who are of third and fourth generation to retain links to their cultural background but they also allow the wider community to develop an appreciation of the rich and diverse histories of other cultures.

I have had the pleasure of visiting Vietnam, and it gave me a fantastic insight into our Vietnamese community in South Australia. According to the City of Salisbury Community Profile, there are 2,755 Vietnamese-born people living in the City of Salisbury area. Many Vietnamese people overcame great challenges to arrive and settle in our state. A strong work ethic, and a commitment to education as well as to family and community, has allowed for great personal and community success. Generously sharing the rich traditions of Vietnam, and being open towards other South Australians, has been another important contribution of the Vietnamese community to our state.

The Asian Elderly Association itself was established as a group of elderly people of various Asian backgrounds to provide both practical assistance and cultural support to one another. The association achieves this aim through programs and events, which include community festivals, community visitors (which is a service to the grieving families of deceased members), health seminars and fitness activities.

The association provides a regular meeting place for its members who are otherwise socially and culturally isolated. The association also acts as an information and referral service for its members and their families. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the association for its important work and to thank the Vietnamese community, particularly in my electorate of Ramsay, for being such a vital part of both the ethos and practice of multiculturalism.