address to parliament - STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS - Riverina Electorate: Tibetan New Year

The Mayor of Wagga Wagga, Councillor Dallas Tout, and I ventured on the 13-kilometre Tumbatrek walk on Saturday, and we were feeling a little worse for wear. Despite that, we were both invited to the celebration of Losar, the Tibetan New Year. Indeed we were both hoping that we weren't going to be asked to dance, like we were in recent times, at these celebrations. Thankfully, we weren't—and not just for the fact that we probably don't have the traditional moves that the Tibetans are so adept at. It was a great celebration, and I do thank Tsering Tsomo for her emceeing. I do thank the Tibetan community in Wagga Wagga—so small yet so enthusiastic! It's such a multicultural community.

Awards were given to various local people for keeping the traditional language alive. It's so very important because, if you lose the language, you lose everything. You lose the traditions and the customs. One of those award recipients was Belinda Crain from the Wagga Wagga multicultural council. She has done so much to help make the Tibetans welcome. There is a Tibetan restaurant in Wagga Wagga. I recommend you go there if you venture by that fine city. More than that, the Tibetans add so much vibrance and colour to our community. We welcome them, and we enthusiastically embrace their new year's celebration.