Moon Festival

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-104210

Hansard session: Fifty-Sixth Parliament, First Session (56-1)

Moon Festival

Mr CHRIS MINNS (Kogarah) (17:21:33):

The Moon Festival, or the Mid-Autumn Festival, is celebrated every year by Chinese people around the world. The Moon Festival falls on the fifteenth day of the eighth month according to the Chinese lunar calendar. The official date of this year's festival was Monday 24 September, but celebrations happen throughout September and October. Because I was not available on the last parliamentary sitting day of September, I could not speak during the festival.

Mr Mark Coure:

What were you doing?

Mr CHRIS MINNS:

I had a family event to attend. Is this the appropriate time for the member for Oatley to raise this?

Mr Mark Coure:

No.

Mr CHRIS MINNS:

The Moon Festival celebrates three things: gathering, thanksgiving and praying. It is a time for family and friends to reunite, to give thanks for harmonious relationships, and to hope for longevity and prosperity. It is called the Moon Festival because ancient Chinese people noticed the moon was brightest at this time of the year, and the roundness of the moon symbolises completeness, which is fulfilled by reuniting with loved ones. Chinese Australians have made massive contributions to modern Australia. I love seeing the culture celebrated and embraced not only within the Chinese community but also by the broader community throughout the St George area. Indeed, I have seen the member for Oatley dressed in a charming Chinese red outfit. He looks quite becoming.

Kogarah has a large Chinese population, many of whom still have extensive family in China. It can be difficult to be away from family during times like this. Therefore, it has been wonderful to see so many different groups and organisations celebrating the Moon Festival so that everyone who is missing their family can come together to celebrate this part of their culture and feel supported by their community in Australia. I have been lucky enough to be a part of some of these celebrations during the Moon Festival. I had the privilege of hosting more than 200 members of the St George Chinese Seniors Association here at Parliament House last week as part of the Moon Festival. I thank the member for Strathfield and the Hon. Ernest Wong for attending and addressing the big crowd. I also thank Mr Li, Mr Liang, Mrs Fang and Mrs Guo from the seniors association for organising the visit. It was a fantastic morning spending time with some seniors who care about their community and, of course, Australia.

In the past two weeks I was also lucky enough to attend two events with the Asian Women at Work. I had a great morning tea with the dance and arts group, and I was treated to a performance from the choir group. My youngest son, George, who is one-year-old, appreciated the dulcet tones of that wonderful group. I thank these wonderful women for inviting me along to spend time with them and for sharing their talents. I also attended a wonderful Moon Festival event at Sunny's Seafood Restaurant where 25 tables accommodated local St George area residents and members of the Labor Party in the St George region. It was a wonderful night and I thank especially the guest speakers and the many entertainment groups who came along and contributed to dancing and singing.

Mr Mark Coure:

I would have attended if you had invited me.

Mr CHRIS MINNS:

You would have been more than welcome—I would have been happy to have you there. The 200 members of the Labor Party in the St George region may have had a different view, but if you wore your red shirt it would have been fine. I thank the organisers of Moon Festival events throughout the St George region and I sincerely congratulate them on the conclusion of a wonderful festival. For those who are away from their families and friends, I hope that the community support that they get from being a member of the St George community is in some way compensation for being away from their families during a wonderful cultural celebration.

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (17:25:41):

I acknowledge the member for Kogarah and, more importantly, the Mid-Autumn Festival, which was celebrated in September. The Mid-Autumn Festival is huge in the St George area, particularly in Hurstville. Last week I mentioned some of the events that I had attended recently to celebrate the festival. It is a day for family gathering and reunion. Family members will gather together on this day and enjoy the full moon, which symbolises harmony, luck and happiness that knows no bounds. It is an extraordinary day in our calendar, in Hurstville in particular. A number of events were held during that week, at Sunny's restaurant and many others throughout Sydney. I put on record the wonderful contribution of Chinese Australians in my community and throughout Australia.