Australian Government : Remarks at the Opening of the 2017 Chinese New Year Lantern Festival

PRIME MINISTER:

Well good evening. Lucy and I are delighted to be here to wish you all a very happy New Year.

The first New Year's performance that we saw was about a week ago on FaceTime from our granddaughter Ming Ming. Our son and daughter in law's daughter, our granddaughter, our first granddaughter. Her mother of course is Chinese and she is growing up absolutely bilingual. She points things out to me when she is here in Sydney. She says the Chinese word and then realising that I - being the old 'Ye Ye' is not as up to date with his Chinese as he should be. She tells me the English. So she pointed at a picture - she is 18 months - she pointed at a picture of a fish and she said, 'Yú'. Then she looked at me she said, 'Fish' Ye Ye, so that's very good. She did a little dance for us on FaceTime and it was wonderful.

We are citizens of the most successful multicultural society in the world, we really are. You look around the world at the disharmony and the conflict and what a wondrous thing it is - that here in Australia with the most diverse population - in this city alone, a third of the people were not born in Australia. After English, Chinese is the most often spoken language at home in this city. And so many other languages and yet we have managed to create - because of our commitment to mutual respect - a nation that is so successful as a multicultural nation.

All of us here tonight in one way or another have made that contribution. This is the work of 24 million Australians. It's the work of generations. You could not imagine modern Australia without the contribution of Chinese-Australians. Any more than you could imagine it without the contribution of the Hellenic Australians like John Mangos here tonight.

But you know, we have got so many wonderful political leaders across the board here. Matt's here representing Bill Shorten. David Coleman is here - my colleague and Member for Banks. John Ajaka is here with Luke Foley from the State Government.

But I do want to give one particular shout-out to a former colleague of ours, Phil Ruddock. Phil Ruddock has made an enormous contribution. Over the years, over many decades, Philip Ruddock has made such a contribution to the successful multicultural nation that we are today. No one has made a greater contribution Phil, but it is the work of millions and you are among the leaders and I want to thank you for that, sitting next to Victor Dominello there and John Sidoti - another reminder of this great multicultural society.

Lucy and I have spent a fair bit of time in China over the years. In my youth more than twenty years ago, I actually established the first Chinese-Western mining project, a zinc mine in Hubei province so I have spent a lot of time travelling in China and the countryside and of course I've been back there as Prime Minister.

I was very touched to be there at the G20 in Changzhou last year which is one of the most beautiful cities in China, one of the most - the West Lake as you all know is famous for its great beauty. One of the passions that I share with President Xi is a love for Longjing tea. Which I think is the finest Chinese green tea. Which I can tell you, the President always has a thermos of it available at international conferences. He is very careful to maintain his green tea. And Lucy and I have ridden bicycles through the tea fields in Changzhou, where they grow the tea. It was wonderful to be back there.

So this is a great occasion, a great festival and I want to wish you all the very best of luck in the Year of the Rooster - [spoken in Mandarin] Jī Nián Dà Jí. And a prosperous New Year as well - [spoken in Mandarin] Gōng Xǐ Fā Cái. Good luck and great prosperity - [spoken in Mandarin] Dà Jí Dà Lì.

And recognising that the Year of the Rooster is always a very auspicious year for the Member for Wentworth - I checked with Matt Thistlethwaite but he is a Rabbitohs supporter but if you represent Bondi, Matt, you've got to support the Roosters I'm afraid.

So it is always good to have the Year of the Rooster and of course we've all got to work hard in the Year of the Rooster too. So I conclude by saying [spoken in Mandarin] Wén Jī Qǐ Wǔ. Have a great, happy New Year.

Thank you so much.

[ENDS]