Mr MATT KEAN (Hornsby) [7.41 p.m.]: Tonight I am delighted to pay tribute to all the hardworking volunteers in my Hornsby electorate who put on a fantastic show last month at the third annual Hornsby Greek Festival in Cherrybrook, an outstanding event that is thoroughly enjoyed by all who attend. This colourful and vibrant festival is still a fairly new attraction in my electorate, but it has quickly established itself as one of the community's favourite multicultural events.
I attend many events, but the Hornsby Greek Festival has become one of my favourites among my parliamentary duties because of the wonderful food available at Cherrybrook.
The Greek population makes up less than 1 per cent of the population in Hornsby, but on 10 March that did not stop hundreds of proud Greek Australians from all over Sydney flocking to Greenway Park, Cherrybrook, to celebrate everything that is Greek. Guests at the festival were treated to an impressive array of Hellenic entertainment options, with traditional folk dancing and a live Greek band playing old-world favourites such asDomna Samiou and Marianna Zorba. I know they are favourites of the member for Londonderry. Organisers also catered to the younger generation and played a range of modern day hits from upcoming artist DJ Georgio.
I was delighted to see the local community embracing the Greek festival, with Cherrybrook Technology High School sending a band on the day to entertain visitors with an impressive musical repertoire. The Cherrybrook Technology High School band is first class. It is well recognised not just in the local community but throughout New South Wales for its excellent musicianship. I have watched the school's music program grow over the years and I thank the school's principal, Gary Johnson, for encouraging his students to be active participants in their local community. A highlight of the festival was when the folk dancers invited onlookers to link arms and join in the popular Zorba dance. This was a great example of multicultural inclusion and a celebration of our many diverse backgrounds that make our nation so unique and special.
Sampling fine cuisine is a passion of mine and I was spoilt for choice, with an amazing array of traditional foods prepared by the Greek volunteers, including delicious souvlaki, pastitsio and gyro in abundance at the outdoor markets. Another highlight was browsing through the Greek arts and crafts boutiques, which were open for shoppers to find their very own hidden Mediterranean treasure. Greek art has inspired foreign civilisations over the centuries and I can see why, with many clay and marble objects moulded into exotic shapes and designs. Anne Rassios, who works as one of the festival committee members, said the festival was about celebrating Greek food, music, wine, dance and culture. She said it was about giving integrated Greek Australians the opportunity to celebrate their culture and connect with others in the community to teach them about one of the world's most inspiring ancient cultures.
I take this opportunity to acknowledge the strong contributions that the Greek community has made to our society. Today we see many leading Australians of Greek heritage such as Australian Football League's Andrew Demetriou, comedy actor Nick Giannopoulos and our very own Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Hospitality and Racing, and Minister for the Arts, George Souris. I was fortunate enough to open the Hornsby Greek Festival with Federal member for Berowra, Philip Ruddock, and St Therapon Parish Council President, Johnny Manolelis, a great Australian and a man who is doing wonderful work in the community. Together we spoke about the positive example the Greek community has set for newly arrived ethic communities and how well the Hellenic people have been able to assimilate into our community while remembering their identity and upholding their rich history.
St Therapon parish priest, Father Stavros Karvelas, acted as one of my personal guides for the day and taught me all about Greek culture and traditions. Individuals like these men offer our community so much in their ambassadorial roles to promote cultural understanding and harmony. My electorate of Hornsby is blessed with a strong multicultural community, with residents coming from a diverse range of backgrounds including India, China, South Korea and South Africa. These migrants have helped transform Hornsby into the idyllic multicultural melting pot that it is today. While the Greek population is not as prevalent in Hornsby as it is in other areas, I remind my colleagues that it is vital to reach out to connect with our multicultural residents.
Since my election to this place I have set out to give these migrants a voice in politics and reconnect with them. I am proud to say that I have taken a driving role with the Liberal Friends of India group and attended many Chinese New Year events with my friends at the Cherrybrook Chinese Community Association. Elected members of Parliament can lead by example and show the nation that New South Wales is a harmonious State that is proud of its multicultural identity and rich cultural history. One of the greatest achievements of Australia as a nation is that together we have been able to build a strong and vibrant multicultural community. It is the contribution of multicultural communities that has made Australia the great country that it is today.
Read the full transcript in Hansard here.
