The Hon. J.S. LEE (15:27): It is a great honour to rise today to speak about the Multicultural Communities Council of South Australia, which is affectionately known as MCCSA. This year, MCCSA is celebrating its milestone 45^th anniversary. The Governor of South Australia, His Excellency the Hon. Hieu Van Le, generously hosted a reception at Government House last night to mark this special occasion. It was a great privilege to represent the Premier at the reception and I was glad to see the Hon. Emily Bourke there as well. What a wonderful occasion to recognise the great work of MCCSA and pay tribute to the board, staff, volunteers and supporters of MCCSA.

The Hon. J.S. LEE (15:47): It is a great honour today to speak about World Refugee Day and the many activities associated with Refugee Week. In 2000, the United Nations General Assembly declared 20June every year to be World Refugee Day. It is a day when the world commemorates the strength, courage and perseverance of millions of refugees. This one-day commemoration has since turned into a week-long celebration in Australia and other countries.

During Refugee Week, people from all walks of life are taking big and small steps in solidarity with refugees. It has been a privilege for me every year to attend several events that celebrate the contributions of our diverse refugee communities in South Australia. Refugee Week provides a platform to promote positive images and stories of refugees and encourage a culture of welcome throughout our country. Australia has been enriched by millions of migrants and refugees since the postwar period. Their courage, resilience, optimism and enterprising spirit have transformed Australia into the proud and successful country it is today.

The Hon. J.S. LEE (17:55): Today I rise to make my contribution in support of the Supply Bill 2019. The government is asking for approximately $5.5 billion of taxpayer money to enable the continued payment of public servants and public services. It is very important that provisions are made for the ongoing delivery of essential public services in South Australia.

Since taking office in March 2018, the Marshall state government has taken a proactive approach towards transforming the economy of South Australia with a strong vision to deliver more business confidence, create a more competitive climate for industries and to increase our population. The state government has been working hard to deliver more jobs, lower costs and better services for South Australia. I am proud to be a part of the Marshall team who are honouring the many commitments that deliver better outcomes for all South Australians. Helping households and businesses reduce the cost-of-living pressures has always been a top priority for the Marshall government.

The Hon. J.S. LEE (15:52): Today, I am delighted to speak about multicultural affairs, the portfolio that I am passionate about and honoured to serve in my capacity as Assistant Minister to the Premier. I have been very fortunate to have been entrusted by the Liberal Party, in opposition and now in government, to work directly in the portfolio of multicultural affairs since I was elected in 2010.

Being a migrant myself, I know from my own experience that when people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds have a greater sense of connection to their family and are able to readily access their community with shared values, cultures and trust, individuals, children, young people and families from a multicultural background can feel a strong sense of belonging and inner worth that helps them to build resilience, confidence and pride at home and within the community.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (15:23): I move:

That this council—

1. Expresses its deepest sorrow and abhorrence at the senseless killing of innocent men, women and children in coordinated terrorist bombings at Christian churches and hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday 2019;

2. Mourns the extensive loss of life, including two Australians, and hopes for the full recovery of the many injured;

3. Expresses its deepest sympathy to the families and friends of all those who have been affected by this appalling event;

4. Stands in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka and South Australia’s Sri Lankan community;

5. Condemns terrorism and extremism in all its forms; and

6. Reaffirms its commitment to an inclusive and harmonious multicultural society.

The Hon. J.S. LEE (15:28): It is a great honour today to speak about the Australian-Indonesian Association of South Australia (AIASA) and the 2019 Indofest, which was held on Sunday 28 April 2019. As honourable members will know, Indonesia is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world, with over 17,000 islands and hundreds of distinct ethnic and linguistic groups. This year, Indofest Adelaide celebrated its 11^th anniversary. I am pleased to report that it continues to be the largest Indonesian festival in Australia and has grown from strength to strength.

The Hon. J.S. LEE (15:53): It is a great honour today to speak about the 12-month anniversary of the Marshall Liberal government. One year ago, on Sunday 17 March 2018, the people of South Australia declared their confidence in the Liberal Party's strong plan for real change and delivered a new majority Liberal government. Local community members I meet every day and delegates visiting from overseas have expressed to me that it is an incredibly exciting time to be in South Australia right now.

I am extremely proud to be an integral part of the Marshall Liberal government, and I am very honoured to serve as the Assistant Minister to the Premier. Under the strong leadership of the Premier, the Marshall Liberal government's first year in office has delivered real outcomes for South Australia.

There has never been a better time to work and live in South Australia. Business confidence is rising to levels not seen in more than 10 years, and reports such as the recent ANZ report show that South Australia's economy was the stand out among all states and territories.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (14:16): I move:

That this council—

(a) expresses its deepest sorrow and abhorrence at the senseless killing of innocent men, women and children in the Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre in Christchurch on Friday 15 March 2019;

(b) mourns the tragic loss of life, and hopes for a full recovery of those injured;

(c) expresses its deepest sympathy to the families and friends of all those who are affected by this appalling event;

(d) stands in solidarity with the people of Christchurch—Adelaide's sister city—New Zealand, and South Australia's Muslim community;

(e) condemns terrorism and extremism in all its forms; and

(f) reaffirms its commitment to an inclusive and harmonious multicultural society.

The Hon. J.S. LEE (15:43): It is with great pleasure today that I speak about one of the most celebrated festivals around the world and in South Australia, which is the Lunar New Year. Our many multicultural communities in South Australia have certainly been very busy in organising functions to celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Pig. Lunar New Year is celebrated throughout Asia and beyond. It is commonly known in China and for overseas Chinese people as Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival, in Vietnam as the Tet Festival, in Korea as Seollal and as Losar for Buddhists in Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet and India.

The Hon. J.S. LEE ( 17:36 ): I move:
That this council—

1. Acknowledges the 25th anniversary of the Australian Chinese Medical Association SA (ACMA-SA);
2. Pays tribute to past and present presidents and committee members of ACMA-SA for their leadership and long-term commitment to support charitable causes, community programs and health care services for the South Australian community; and
3. Highlights the achievements and contributions of ACMA-SA and the Australian-Chinese medical professionals made to Australia and South Australia.