Iranian Society of Queensland – Nowruz Event
Thank you to the Iranian Society of Queensland for hosting a wonderful Nowruz event in the Queen Street Mall. Nowruz, celebrated for thousands of years, embodies renewal, hope, and unity. It is the New Year celebrated across Iran. This has been a very difficult time for the Iranian Australian community, many of whom came to […]
Harmony Day Celebrations
Thank you to the Vedanta Centre for holding a wonderful Harmony Day celebration in Springfield over the weekend. There was great entertainment with the Jade Ensemble providing a brilliant fusion of music inspired by sounds from Japan, Spain, Nepal and our Aboriginal first people. There were stalls and cultural performances and presentations by a range […]
Meeting with Prime Minister of Niue – Dalton Tagelagi
It was a pleasure to meet with the Prime Minister of Niue, the Hon. Dalton Tagelagi during his visit to Brisbane. iue is part of our Pasifika family and since becoming a Senator I have enjoyed supporting our wonderful Niue community here in Queensland. I was happy to speak in glowing terms about the contribution […]
Swanbank Green Steel Mill – Soil Turning Ceremony
Pleased to attend the Soil Turning Ceremony for Future Forgeworks’ Swanbank Green Steel Mill. This project marks a major milestone for Queensland, delivering Australia’s first new steel mill in more than 30 years and positioning Swanbank at the forefront of cleaner, more sustainable manufacturing. Once operational, the mill is expected to reduce emissions by around […]
Australian Pakistani National Association (APNA) Team Shirt Presentation
Proud to support the Australian Pakistani National Association (APNA) and their Nepal Team year after year.The handover of the APNA Nepal Team Shirt is always a meaningful moment, reflecting the strength of community, the power of sport, and the enduring connections that bring people together across borders.
Ajmal – Presentation of PHd Thesis
I had the privilege of welcoming Ajmal Hameed Abdulrahimzai to my Springfield office, where he presented me with a copy of his doctoral thesis, War Impacts (2023). Ajmal’s story is one of extraordinary resilience and service. A former Deputy Minister in Afghanistan, he was forced to flee following the collapse of the Afghan Government in […]
St Patrick’s Eve Dinner 2026
Thank you to the Queensland Irish Association for another St Patrick’s Day Eve Dinner. QIA was established in 1898 – more than 125 years ago – reflecting the outstanding contribution made by Australians of Irish heritage over three centuries. Thank you to the QIA Pipes Band and wonderful Irish dancers. Happy St Patrick’s Day everyone!
LNP Ipswich Business Breakfast
Thank you to the Hon Steve Minnikin MP, Minister for Customer Services and Open Data and Minister for Small and Family Business for being the guest speaker at this morning’s small business breakfast in Ipswich. Queensland is home to more than 500,000 small businesses. They are the engine of the Queensland economy. You can find […]
Parliamentary Friends of Refugees Launch
This week marked the first meeting of the Parliamentary Friends of Refugees in the current Parliament. Thank you to co chairs Sarah Whitty MP, Allegra Spender MP, and Senator David Shoebridge for leading this important forum, and to the Refugee Council of Australia for supporting the event. This gathering comes as Australia welcomes its one […]
Ipswich Citizenship Ceremony
It was a privilege to participate in the Ipswich Citizenship Ceremony today at the start of Harmony Week, with Presiding Officer Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding, welcoming hundreds of new Australians. Citizenship ceremonies are a powerful reminder of the values that unite us – our democratic values, respect for the rights and liberties of our fellow […]