Tuesday, 26 November 2024

Ministers statements: Guru Nanak Lake

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:07): Diversity is one of Victoria’s great strengths ‍– every family who found work here, every migrant who started a business here, every proud, strong migrant who sacrificed so much to help build the great state we have today. This is a contribution that is worth celebrating, worth recognising and absolutely something to be proud about. Over the next few years thousands of places will need to be named across the state – roads, government buildings, parks, lakes – and that is why my government has a policy to name more of these places to reflect the community they are in.

Earlier this month we gave a local lake a new name – a name that honours the most important religious leader for our Sikh community. Guru Nanak Lake is a fitting symbol of the enormous contribution Victoria’s Sikh community have made to our state. Consider this contribution during the pandemic, fires and floods: Sikh volunteers turned up in their vans, providing free food to everyone in need, no matter who they were, no matter where they came from.

Sadly, there were some that were so offended by this new name they organised a rally – a rally that had only one outcome: to stoke the flames of division and hate. And we know who turned up – neo-Nazis, because when you divide communities you create a void and extremists rush to fill it.

We on this side of the house stand with the Sikh community. We recognise the Sikh community. We named Guru Nanak Lake in honour of the Sikh community. The question for the Leader of the Opposition is: does he stand with that community or stand with neo-Nazis, who drive division and hate?

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: I will not tolerate this level of interjection and noise in the chamber.