Speech in the ACT Legislative Assembly

2 July 2010

MR COE (Ginninderra) (1:34am): It is a pleasure to rise in the early hours today to pay tribute to Canberra’s Korean community. The Korean community are a vibrant part of our Canberra multicultural scene, and I very much enjoy attending their events.

I went to an event earlier this year at the Albert Hall and just recently I enjoyed watching a game of soccer with them in the World Cup. Unfortunately, they did not get up in that game and they did not make it beyond the round of 16, but they did extremely well, and I am sure that experience will put the team in good stead for the upcoming tournaments.

Koreans living in Australia are, of course, very proud of their new home, whether it
be permanent or temporary, but they are also very proud of their heritage. They really
are model citizens when it comes to being great members of our multicultural community. Korea is, of course, a very important trading partner for Australia and Korea as a country is, of course, a real beacon for democracy and a real icon since the Korean War. People in South Korea live in a very turbulent area, they do so with great courage and I very much admire their determination for a free and democratic world.

I would like to pay tribute to Keith Lee who is a football ambassador for Capital Football and also for the Korean Youth Football Association. He organised and put on the soccer viewings at the Belconnen Soccer Club to support the Korean community here in Canberra.

Since 2005, a Korean youth team in the under-12 category has visited the Kanga Cup and the team will be visiting again this year for the fourth time; that is the SinGok PS under-12 team. The Korean community will be hosting them, including providing the meals and accommodation, and the Monaro Panthers Football Club will be billeting them.

I wish the team all the best. I look forward to attending more events with the Korean community in the coming years and I very much commend all those involved for the great work they do in our multicultural community.