CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS

Mr BOWEN (McMahon—Minister for Climate Change and Energy) (09:39): A little over a year ago, the Australian South East Asian Network, ASEAN Ltd, was formed and registered with ASIC. It's a local community group based in south-west Sydney. In just 12 months, this organisation has given communities from many backgrounds a stronger voice and a shared home for discussion.

The name might be a little confusing to some people. Its membership not just draws on people with South-East Asian heritage but includes Syrian, Iranian, Cambodian, Laotian, Khmer Krom, Indian, Pakistani, Indonesian, Filipino, Chinese, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Burmese, Indigenous and Anglo-Celtic communities, all of which call my electorate their home. I'm so proud of our multicultural community.

Our multicultural community is very much a part of the strength of the area I have the honour of representing and grew up in, and I will always stand up for multiculturalism and all its elements. At the heart of the network is listening. Its community board brings together people from different parts of the community and raises matters that are important to them and brings them to the attention of decision-makers.

The ambassador program is a very important one. It engages community leaders to build trust and senior advocates and scholars to drive social cohesion and inform public policy. The network is also recognising and encouraging contribution.

There's a very extensive awards program run by the network. The Michael Kirby ASEAN Award was unveiled in parliament last year, and the Tom Bathurst award for achievement is to be unveiled on 11 November by the Hon. Tom Bathurst AC KC to celebrate people from diverse backgrounds who have given to Australia.

Part of the strength of the network is the support it's received from eminent jurists—Michael Kirby, Tom Bathurst and Justice James Edelman—who have provided words of support for the important work. I want to acknowledge the founder and CEO, Sawathey Ek OAM, who's also, as it happens, undertaking an executive leadership program at the Harvard Kennedy school through a co-funded program, bringing local community advocacy together with global policy expertise.

I know the organisation will benefit from Sawathey's work at Harvard. I also acknowledge the board of directors: Jane Li, Patricia Jenkins, Arthur Inglis, Davy Ek, Andrea Nevill, Angela Johnston and Tristan Manwaring. I commend the board of ASEAN for all the work they have done.

They have held many events, some of which I've been able to be at, which have been very good events, bringing together the vibrant multicultural community of the area I grew up in, live in and represent. Multiculturalism is one of our area's great strengths. It's one of our country's great strengths.

We are the best multicultural country in the world. We have instituted multiculturalism more successfully than any other country in the world. It's not just because of governments; it's in no small part because of community leadership, which is very much represented and symbolised by this network which I'm proud to support.