Refugee Week

The Hon. J.S. LEE (15:59): Today, it is a great privilege to speak about how South Australians have embraced SA Refugee Week, which took place between 17 to 23 June this year. It provides us with the opportunity to reflect and appreciate the strength and enterprise of those who have come to Australia as refugees, showing immense courage and resilience and creating new opportunities for themselves, their families and their communities.

Throughout the postwar period, Australia grew in size and diversity by welcoming many millions of migrants who have brought with them their own histories, often embedded in wars, genocide and oppression. Yet, their spirit of optimism, along with their hard work and contributions, have turned Australia into a proud and prosperous multicultural country today.

I would like to pay a special tribute to the Australian Migrant Resource Centre, which has been the convener of SA Refugee Week since 2001. Sincere thanks and congratulations to the wonderful team: Eugenia Tsoulis OAM, the CEO of AMRC; chair Judge Rauf Soulio; deputy chair Elizabeth Ho; and also the SA Refugee Week committee for their vision, hard work and commitment to bring together over 100 organisations as well as thousands of individuals to present multiple events that coincide with World Refugee Day.

I attended many events during Refugee Week and would like to highlight a few of them here today. It was a great honour to represent the Premier of South Australia, the Hon. Steven Marshall, as well as the Minister for Education, the Hon. John Gardner, to launch the 2018 SA Refugee Week and youth poster exhibition. On behalf of the government, I express my gratitude to AMRC, the Hawke centre and University of South Australia for working in partnership with students across 20 primary schools, 15 secondary schools and three tertiary institutions to present the most outstanding youth posters exhibition.

It was a great privilege to witness the compassion and respect by young participants and students. I was most impressed not only with their artistic talents but also their thoughtfulness and courage at a young age to stand up for the greater good and for the good of others. Congratulations to poster winners, finalists and students in their efforts to recognise Refugee Week.

A special thanks to Adelaide city council and Lady Mayoress Genevieve Haese for hosting the World Refugee Day event together with AMRC. I had the honour to represent the Premier to convey his best wishes to organisers and participants. It was wonderful to have the Governor of South Australia His Excellency launch World Refugee Day in Adelaide on 20 June 2018. There was nothing more powerful and moving than listening to someone like His Excellency, who shared his own personal experience as a refugee. He is truly an honourable human being, a remarkable leader who continues to inspire us all to do more for others.

Another event that I would like to highlight was the event hosted by the energetic Mayor Gillian Aldridge. I thank the mayor and her team for their warmest welcome at the City of Salisbury Refugee Week event. It was entitled 'Our Stories', celebrating the valuable contribution of refugees to Salisbury.

Refugee Week has certainly kept the Governor very busy. His Excellency was again the guest speaker at the City of Salisbury. Congratulations to the City of Salisbury on their commitment to welcoming refugees and building the region into a culturally diverse city since it officially became a refugee welcome zone in 2016.

I would also like to thank Michelle Dieu, manager of the northern area Migrant Resource Centre, for working together with the northern Multicultural Women's Network to organise a colourful multicultural open day. It was great to meet so many and share their stories. Thank you to Michelle and her team, together with the many volunteers who are providing new arrivals with friendship, support and skills transfer.

Hearing so many moving stories during Refugee Week reminds us all how lucky we are to be living in a beautiful and democratic country like Australia. We are much richer as a nation and as a state that our country has been a welcoming place for refugees, where people are not defined by their past but by the way they show immense courage and resilience. Special thanks to everyone involved in Refugee Week and for making valuable contributions every day in the work that you do for South Australia.