Maiden Speech Transcript
I begin in the name of God, the Most Gracious and Most Merciful. Peace and blessings be upon you and on all in this place. I acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging. Congratulations to you, Mr Speaker, on your elevation. I wish you success in your term. It is instilled in me that I should always start off by giving thanks to my creator and praising him. All praise is due to God, Lord of the Worlds, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, the Master of the Day of Judgement. You alone do we worship, and of you alone do we seek help. Lord, lead us to the right path, the path of those upon whom you have bestowed your bounties, and not the path of those who have gone astray. Amen.
I also give thanks to the team who dedicated countless hours of work and sacrifice to make this happen. Words cannot express the gratitude I have for your efforts. Although I stand here as an individual, this is not my win alone; it is your win, our win and a win for all who believe in a fair go. I give a special shout-out to my campaign manager, Matthew Harte; and the core campaign team, Tony Hadchiti, Fiona Macnaught and Leila‑Marie Abdallah. Thank you for motivating me every day, putting up with me and feeding me. To all who volunteered and manned booths on election day, I have not forgotten you. You are appreciated.
To my family and my in-laws, thank you for your endless support. To my darling mother, I am forever indebted to you. Thank you for instilling faith, sincerity and hope in my brothers and I. Thank you for loving us unconditionally when we were good, when we were bad and when we were everything in between. I know at times we were the cause of much worry. To my husband, Mayor Ned Mannoun, thank you for all the sacrifices you have made for me and for our children. Most of all, thank you for serving our community. I know how hard you work. Although I get cranky when you take phone calls at 11.30 at night about roads, rubbish and rates, I know it is for the betterment of our community and it is testament to your dedication.
To my children—Solomon, Jacob and Eden-Rose—thank you for your patience throughout the campaign. You are the delights of my life and drive me to be the best person I can be every day. Sol and Kobe, you are the best campaigners I could ever ask for. Thanks for bringing it home at school and canvassing the parents’ and teachers’ votes every chance you got. My boys are always flying the Liberal flag; they definitely take after their parents. Remember to always give back to the nation that has given us so much. I hope that I have made you proud.
To the people of Holsworthy, thank you for a fair go, for your belief in me, for your well wishes and support, for your time, for sharing your stories with me and for your hope for a better Holsworthy. I will not let you down. My door is always open, and it is my honour to represent and serve you in this place. Holsworthy is a special part of Sydney. The electorate of Holsworthy is a melting pot of rich culture and diversity. From the shire to Liverpool, it is bustling with a warm and welcoming community—jewels from all walks of life.
Holsworthy is best known as the home of the army barracks, a 22,000-hectare facility established in the 1880s that has continued to operate since the Great War. The Australian men and women who have served and trained at the barracks have once called Holsworthy their temporary home. I thank the Defence Force personnel and their families who have sacrificed so much for our security, freedom and way of life. To the east we have Australia’s only nuclear reactor, at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation facility in Lucas Heights—a game changer in the area of medicine, in particular cancer treatments. It supplies 80 per cent of Australia’s radioisotopes and has been in operation for over 60 years. Electricity costs are a major factor contributing to the cost-of-living increases; hence small-scale nuclear reactors must form part of our energy future as we transition to cleaner and cheaper energy. Lucas Heights is an example of the ability to operate nuclear reactors which are safe for surrounding communities.
Our crown jewel, the Georges River, stretches from the Shire to Liverpool, with over 25 kilometres of river forming the border of the electorate. It has served as a place of customs, traditions and rituals for many communities over time. It is one of Sydney’s most beautiful rivers, with so much potential, and has a major role to play in providing great amenity to those who call south-west Sydney home, and not just the lucky ones who get to live near it. It has plenty of untapped potential and should be the playground of the south-west. It currently lacks critical infrastructure that could transform the way we live and would provide families and youth a safe and enjoyable place for recreation. The Georges River has many First Nations stories to share. It was used as an important source of food and a place for trade and transport. The Darug and Dharawal nations shared the river. The two tribes would meet where Collingwood House, Australia’s fourth-oldest house, stands today. On any given day the jetskis race across the river, along with little speedboats and the grander type.
Today the Georges River is also used for baptisms. The Mandaean community fled persecution in their homelands and found hope in Sydney. Holsworthy is home to their primary place of worship. Mandaeans follow John the Baptist—peace be upon him—and must do baptisms in living water. Mandaean baptisms take place more than once in a lifetime. The young, the old, the healthy and the sick take part. The banks of the Georges River are also home to Satyam Ghat, a sacred place of worship where rituals take place. It is used by those from across the electorate and beyond who are of Sikh, Hindu and Buddhist faiths. The Mandaeans, Sikhs, Hindus and Buddhists I have mentioned, along with many others, came to Australia with hope.
I would now like to share with you another story of hope—a common story throughout the electorate of Holsworthy and beyond. I am the granddaughter of Moses, the restaurateur from Beirut, a dedicated widowed father who arrived in Sydney in 1974 in hope for a better life, a life of peace and stability. Soon after my maternal grandfather, Moses, arrived in Sydney, the civil war began to ravage Lebanon. It was April 1975. Brother fought against brother, to no avail. It was a time of sniper attacks, horror, hardships and pain. The civil war had so many external influences pressing on. It was multifaceted in its reasoning, yet still unjustified. My father, Ali, was fortunate enough to flee the civil war and spend some years floating around Europe working odd jobs. Then in 1980 my father landed in Sydney—a bittersweet moment, of hope for a new life and of despair for the sons and daughters of the cedars.
Today those sons and daughters still bear the scars of the civil war. They share stories of hope and pain, of life and death. All across the world, including in Sydney, their sons and daughters work hand in hand, side by side, united as patriots of the countries they now call home. My mother did not have to live through the pain of seeing the war before her eyes. She arrived in Sydney as a teenager—although, like her, those in the diaspora heard the stories of the family and friends they had left behind. For my mother, it was close to home. Her older sister was the victim of a sniper attack. The sniper’s bullet pierced her thigh and pelvis where it then exploded. She was 18 years old. On arrival to hospital all assumed she would be refused treatment due to her Islamic faith. Hope won that day when a group of young men waiting to hear news of their loved ones at the hospital lobbied the doctors in charge to give this daughter a second chance. She was then under the care of a Lebanese Maronite surgeon by the name of Edward Chalouhi. He reassured her not to be afraid. Then he saved her life. Today she remembers him often and wishes him well. She is in the gallery today.
This day was proof that the sons and daughters of the cedars have not decayed due to adversity; rather, their hopes and spirit of unity have become stronger. The civil war finally came to an end 15 years later in 1990. I am the product of the hope that brought my grandfather and my father here. It is an honour to stand before you today as the new Liberal member for Holsworthy and, from existing records, the first female Muslim member in this place and the first Liberal Muslim member of any Parliament across this great country. This achievement is testament to the success of our multicultural and multi-faith society. I grew up in south Sydney in a conservative family. As children, my brothers and I spent endless hours playing the Super Nintendo, PlayStation, watchingThe Karate Kid and, of course, playing backyard cricket.
We come from a large extended family. Weekends were never dull. My grandfather always had time to cook up a meal for us to share over breakfast or lunch in his humble family home in Rockdale. I will never forget the aroma of fresh homemade Lebanese bread and Lebanese tea brewing on the stove. My older brothers went on to become successful tradesmen, who now both own and run small businesses. I was the first in my immediate family to graduate from university. I went on to teach English as a second language and provided important lessons in language and literacy. I worked with many students from diverse backgrounds. It was very rewarding and second nature to me. Growing up in south-west Sydney meant I was immersed in multiculturalism and diversity every day.
My life in public office began in 2016 when I was first elected as a City of Liverpool councillor. I was then elected as deputy mayor and served in this role between 2017 and 2018. It was an exciting challenge and made me realise how rewarding public service can be. In my faith, I honour and worship God, the creator of the universe. I believe in the uniqueness of God and his ultimate power and glory. I believe in all his revelations and in the angel of revelation, Gabriel. TheQuran provides me with a moral code on how I should live and is a source of guidance. I believe in all of God’s prophets, including Adam, the chosen of God; Noah, the prophet of God; Abraham, the friend of God; Moses, the one who spoke to God; Jesus the Messiah, the spirit of God; and Muhammad, the seal of the prophets, the beloved of God. Peace be upon them all. Regardless of our respective faiths, there is more that unites us than divides. We are brothers and sisters in humanity, and we in this House should work in unity to deliver for our communities.
Before I continue I must mention a woman by the name of Lady Zainab. She is the sister of Imam Hussain. She is the granddaughter of the Prophet Muhammad. Peace be upon him. She has been a source of inspiration for me and for many. She inspires us to show up, stand up and speak up. She offers enduring lessons which have lasted centuries and remain relevant to humanity today. She witnessed the battle of Karbala where she lost her family, including her brother. Despite being oppressed, she was a voice for truth and justice. This woman was so powerful that her family’s story left her lips and reached many, including Nelson Mandela. He said:
“I have spent more than 20 years in prison, then on one night I decided to surrender by signing all the terms and conditions of the government. I then thought of Imam Hussain and the Karbala movement and Imam Hussain gave me strength to stand for the right of liberation and I did.”
Lady Zainab was formidable in her strength, despite adversity—something I was inspired by during the most difficult times in my life.
In 2011, I became a mother. I spent many days and nights by my child’s bedside at Liverpool Hospital and then at Westmead Children’s Hospital. They were pressing times. Hope and faith got us through. I prayed for the children, for myself, for my family and friends. I also prayed for the unsung heroes saving lives every day. How great they are. I recalled the words of the seal of the prophets, Muhammad, peace be upon him: That when you save one life, it is as though you have saved all of humanity. Sometimes it is times like these that define us. They make us look deep into our soul and reassess life, ultimately changing our perspectives. Those moments in the corridor of Westmead Children’s Hospital defined me. I remember an artwork displayed in one of the corridors. It was an image of a young innocent child, and it read, “I will live in hope.”
I then knew I was living in hope—a very powerful emotion that rocks the core of the human spirit and somehow makes it move forward. Maybe it was the same emotion of my grandfather, of my father, of my aunt and the surgeon, Edward Chalouhi. I was reminded of Lady Zainab’s strength in adversity because, without strength, there is no hope. I enter this place guided by faith, strength and hope for a better tomorrow.
My family has been touched by organ donation. In Australia we have low rates of organ donation registration. Those who are potential donors, even though registered, are small in number. Those who become donors can save up to seven lives and help heal so many more through tissue donation. Currently 1,800 Australians are waitlisted for a transplant. This includes adults and children. There are an additional 14,000 Australians on dialysis waiting for a kidney—again, this includes adults and children. Most Australians support organ donation although only 36 per cent are registered to be donors. It is my hope that in this place we can encourage the great Australian spirit of a fair go and mateship through raising awareness of organ donation and the impact it has on individuals, families and the health system. A simple change like the opt-out system would give hope to so many who are in need of an organ.
I am forever indebted to the New South Wales healthcare system and would like to applaud the former Government for its record investment in health, including $790 million in funding to upgrade Liverpool Hospital and $619 million to expand and upgrade The Children’s Hospital at Westmead. This is an investment that will make a difference in the lives of people throughout Sydney and New South Wales in their times of deepest need, providing hope, support and world-class medical treatment.
Along the campaign trail I met so many people who shared their defining moments with me. They all had one thing in common: hope for a better quality of life for all Australians. They had great hope for our country, for our State and for the electorate. Time is our most precious commodity and our most limited asset. People in the electorate of Holsworthy are spending two to three hours a day travelling to and from work. This is impacting on our work-life balance—precious time that should be spent with our families and on recreational activities which are paramount to our mental and physical wellbeing. On average, 18,000 people move to south-west Sydney per year, most of whom will drive or catch the train through the electorate. This equates to an average of 6,000 new cars on our roads every year. If we do not act immediately then the people of Holsworthy and surrounds will be condemned to an even worse work-life balance.
Through proper planning and action this can be changed. We have seen the success of Parramatta over the last 10 years, transforming from a suburban centre to a bustling city. This is what I envisage for Holsworthy and surrounds. For south-west Sydney to reach its maximum potential, we need world-class public transport options: a metro from Bankstown to Glenfield via Liverpool and beyond. This will take pressure off our roads, increase mobility and boost economic activity. Incentives should be provided for corporate Australia to move jobs away from the Sydney CBD and into city centres around Western Sydney. This can be achieved by providing payroll tax exemptions for companies and organisations that create jobs in the west, namely throughout Liverpool, Campbelltown and Penrith. These job providers will act as anchors for further investment across the south-west, offering high skilled and high paying jobs in our backyard.
Finally, it is important that we in this place invest in our future: our children. Depression and anxiety in youth across the State is on the rise. As responsible servants to our communities, we must support strategies and skills to strengthen mental fortitude and resilience. As we progress into the digital age and experience rapid changes in technology, it is crucial to equip our children with skills to protect their mental wellbeing. Although social media connects us, it has inadvertently created an environment that can exacerbate mental health issues. The pressure to fit in and gain validation through likes and comments—the relentless comparisons to others’ lives—affects our perceptions of belonging and acceptance of who we are, particularly when perceptions are not always reality in cyberspace. The objective of such initiatives should be to instil perseverance, adaptability and acceptance of one’s identity and each other’s identities so that we all can belong.
Amenity is key to great living, wherever you are. The electorate of Holsworthy has so much potential. During my time here it is my hope to see this potential come to fruition. I pledge to serve the Forgotten People who inspired Sir Robert Menzies, and all people across the electorate. I value the importance of family as the primary institution for fostering the values on which a cohesive society is built. I will strive to give dignity to those who cannot provide for themselves. I will respect the basic freedoms of thought, worship, association and choice, since that is what we as Liberals do: we provide hope for the forgotten people. I thank the members and guests for their courtesies.