STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Mr ZAPPIA (Makin) (13:31): I congratulate Nestory Irankunda, Australia's first goalscorer in the FIFA 2026 World Cup in Australia's match with Turkiye. In doing so, at 20 years of age, Nestory became Australia's youngest goalscorer in a FIFA World Cup, adding to his long list of extraordinary soccer career achievements. Born in a refugee camp in Tanzania of Burundi parents, Nestory came to Australia as a three-month-old baby, first settling in Western Australia and then moving to Parafield Gardens in the northern suburbs of Adelaide, where he played and developed his soccer skills, playing for local clubs Parafield Gardens, Northern Wolves and Adelaide Croatia Raiders, and ultimately A League club Adelaide United, before moving to German club Bayern Munich and currently English club Watford.

It has been a remarkable soccer journey for a young man whose family arrived in Australia as refugees. With migration to Australia being a frequent topic of public discourse, Nestory's story is not simply one of personal determination and achievement or the opportunity that Australia has given him but just as importantly a reminder of how immigration to Australia has lifted Australia and brought pride to us all on the world stage.

At 20 years of age, Nestory has a long soccer career ahead of him, and I wish him every success for the years to come.