CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS

Ms CLUTTERHAM (Sturt) (16:57): On Sunday 5 October 2025, I celebrated the International Day of Older Persons at the Morialta Uniting Church at Magill in my electorate of Sturt. I celebrated with a special group of people, coming together not only to honour elderly members of our community—or 'silver members' as they were elegantly described. Members of the parish of the Morialta Uniting Church, led by Bruce and Reverend Anne Butler, partnered with the Dawoodi Bohra community, led by the effervescent and passionate Nishreen Adenwala and her husband, the bingo master, Zulficar Adenwala.

There are approximately 40 Dawoodi Bohra communities across Australia, including a thriving and active one in Adelaide, and members, who are practising Muslims, adhere to the values of fraternity, peace and humanity. Dawoodi Bohras are active advocates of goodwill and philanthropy and seek to help and uplift those less fortunate through their various philanthropic endeavours.

This past Sunday, they organised the event at the Morialta Uniting Church, in order to provide information and support to 'silver members' of the community. The theme of this year's celebration of older persons was 'Older persons driving local and global action: our aspirations, our well-being and our rights', and, in this style, Nishreen and her colleagues organised for informative speakers to attend, to talk about aged-care advocacy and the importance of physical movement and exercising the brain.

Attendees were provided with delicious cooked food, in order to fill them for a gentle exercise session, and were then given the opportunity to exercise their brains with an intense and good-natured game of bingo led by the bingo master. Most importantly, however, this partnership between the Dawoodi Bohras and the Morialta Uniting Church is a beautiful demonstration of interfaith connection.

These groups look different, have different native languages, dress differently and practise quite different faiths, but they see the value in these differences and they have a special bond that I have had the privilege of witnessing several times. Despite these differences, they are firmly united in their dedication to serving others. The only thing I ever hear members of this unique group ask is this: What can I do for others?

What can I do for my community?. So I say to Nishreen, Zulficar, Bruce and Anne: thank you. To get old and age is one of life's greatest blessings.

(Time expired) The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Ms Claydon ): In accordance with standing order 193, the time for members' constituency statements has concluded.