CHURCH OF THE KOIMISIS TIS THEOTOKOU

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for Education and Child Development, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (15:16): Can I acknowledge today that members of this chamber are wearing yellow ribbons in honour of childhood cancer. I think there can be no greater cause that we could all support, and I think there is probably not a person in this chamber who has not known a family or been affected by someone who has suffered cancer, so I am very pleased that we are all wearing those yellow ribbons today.

Today I want to offer a sincere apology to the congregation of the Church of the Koimisis Tis Theotokou in Croydon. The commemoration and Feast Day of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos is one of the 12 great feasts in the Orthodox Church. It commemorates the repose of the mother of God and her assumption bodily into heaven and is celebrated on 15 August for those of the Gregorian calendar and 28 August with the Julian calendar.

In Greece it is a public holiday and a day held in great reverence by the Orthodox faithful worldwide. Church services are held each day leading up to the holy day, and all-night vigils are held. Strict fasting is observed and it is a time of sombre reflection. Akin to Good Friday, an Epitaphios is richly adorned with flowers and carried in procession depicting the Theotokos' funeral. An embroidered cloth icon portraying the Theotokos lying in state is placed in the sepulchre and the faithful venerate it amidst hymns of lamentation.

In South Australia, we are honoured to have the Church of the Koimisis Tis Theotokou in Croydon. Mr John Lesses, President of the Greek Orthodox Community of South Australia Inc., was quoted as saying, 'It is one of the most important events in the Orthodox calendar.' Four bishops were officiating in the church—a gathering not seen before—and a time to observe reverence and dignity. I was honoured to attend this very important event mid-morning on 15 August along with you, Mr Speaker, their local MP. The Hon. David Ridgway was present as was the member for Unley and the Liberal candidate for Adelaide, Carmen Garcia.

Upon arriving, I was stopped by journalists and camera crews. At first members of the congregation thought the media had attended because of interest in the special day and invited them into the church. But clearly that was not the case. The member for Unley had arranged them to do a media conference at the church to run a story about an email that had been provided to the Debelle inquiry. What ensued was a chaotic scene in the driveway of the church.

Mr PENGILLY: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: Time on. Member for Finniss.

Mr PENGILLY: Can I ask whether this is, indeed, not imputing improper motives on another member?

The SPEAKER: No.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: For the member to invite the media to this event was inappropriate and disrespectful to the Greek community. I would have happily answered any questions in the city but, no, he did not think about the spiritual importance of the day; he did not think about the parishioners praying inside; he did not think about the children; he did not think about the pilgrims who had travelled to be there; he did not think of the lack of respect shown to the four bishops and clergy officiating inside; he just did not think.

The member for Unley showed absolutely no consideration for how this may have affected the parishioners, nor of the impression he created on the clergy visiting from overseas. As Minister for Multicultural Affairs, and on behalf of the vocation of politicians, I am apologising that this very special day was interrupted, and I apologise to those present and to the Greek Orthodox Community of South Australia Inc.

Having called a news conference immediately outside the church and asked the media to lie in wait for me, the member for Unley then entered the church and stood with other elected representatives and aspiring candidates on the solea—the altar in front of the iconostasis, next to the cantors' box.

The member for Unley and the Hon. David Ridgway then tapped out, sent, received and read text messages during the holy liturgy; in particular, during the Orthodox equivalent of the Canon of the Mass—the solemn second half of the service, after the elements are brought to the altar. Although they were admonished to stop, they resumed during the administration of Holy Communion in the no doubt thrilling aftermath of what they had staged immediately outside the church.

The member for Unley is entitled to hold militantly secularist opinions and to express them, but to conduct himself in this way when he is a guest of the Greek Orthodox Community, on the solea, during the most solemn moments of the holy liturgy, is to bring shame on the vocation of member of parliament. In extending my apology to this devoted and faithful community, I want to express my appreciation to those media representatives who did realise the inappropriateness of what unfolded, and I want to acknowledge their graciousness in apologising to the church community.

This simply is another example of the member for Unley's hunger for a headline. This is the man whose candidate for Liberal preselection was Carmen Garcia. This is the man who accompanied her throughout the campaign. She must now be asking, 'Was it all worth it?'

The SPEAKER: The member for Finniss.