Dawoodi Bohra mosque
Will FOWLES (Ringwood) (19:21): (140) My adjournment matter is directed to the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, who I notice has snuck into the chamber towards the end of this adjournment debate, and the action I seek is for the minister to join me at the opening of the beautiful new Dawoodi Bohra mosque in Blackburn. As the member for Ringwood, I am proud to represent a community that is home to a diverse range of cultures and backgrounds, and the Dawoodi Bohra Islamic community is a valuable and integral part of this diversity. Founded in India, the Dawoodi Bohra community are known for their strong commitment to education, entrepreneurship and philanthropy. They have made significant contributions to our society through their various business and charitable organisations. I would like to take this opportunity to give a shout-out to Mustafa Poonawala, Dr Tahera Adamjee, Mrs Sakina Hussain, Adil Adamjee and Abbas Khumanpurwala and the rest of the leadership team at the Dawoodi Bohra in Blackburn because they are outstanding community leaders for this community. The work they do every day to support interfaith relations and strengthen neighbourly spirit is absolutely terrific. A few recent examples include running a Clean Up Australia Day event in Wattle Park and handing out Ramadan gifts to local residents around their mosque in Blackburn and Forest Hill.
Ever since I first met members of the Dawoodi Bohra community I have been blown away by their kindness, their generosity and their unstoppable passion for building a better community. I am thrilled that the Dawoodi Bohra community will soon have a new mosque in Blackburn. This will not only provide a place of worship for their community but also be a valuable addition to my electorate, offering opportunities for interfaith dialogue and cultural exchange. The grand opening is set to be a truly special occasion and will be attended by His Holiness Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, the 53rd al-Da’i al-Mutlaq and head of the Dawoodi Bohra community. His Holiness will be travelling from India for the mosque opening, and it would be absolutely sensational if the minister could attend.