Ms VAMVAKINOU (Calwell) (12.28 p.m.)—It is with great sadness that I rise today to speak about the tragic death of Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho. Late last week Archbishop Rahho’s body was found buried in a shallow grave in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. He had been abducted two weeks earlier by armed gunmen.

Ms VAMVAKINOU (Calwell) (12.41 p.m.)—Madam Deputy Speaker Burke, today I would like to bring to the attention of the House a workers’ dispute at Qantas Valet Parking, which is located in my electorate of Calwell. It is a dispute that goes to the very heart of the many debates we have had in this place on industrial relations and the unfairness of the previous government’s extreme Work Choices laws.

Ms VAMVAKINOU (Calwell) (9.34 p.m.)—Few conflicts today inspire the level of mistrust and misunderstanding that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict does, and few have the capacity to divide public opinion so sharply. These divisions are not new. Rather, they are symptomatic of the vastly different and competing national narratives alternatively advocated by Palestinians and Israelis over the meaning and legacy of May 1948.

Ms VAMVAKINOU (Calwell) (7.30 p.m.)—Mr Acting Deputy Speaker Washer, can I take this opportunity to also congratulate you on your elevation to the Speaker’s panel. It is without any reservation that I rise to speak in support of the Prime Minister’s motion of apology to members of the stolen generation.

Ms VAMVAKINOU (Calwell) (1.36 p.m.)—In the lead-up to last year’s federal election, federal Labor were unambiguous in our commitment to abolish the Howard government’s unfair and unpopular Work Choices laws.

Address by Maria Vamvakinou MP

Federal Member for Calwell

Product Design and Manufacturing Challenge Expo

Hume Global Learning Centre

 

I want to start by thanking the organiser’s of today’s event for giving me an opportunity to speak to you about innovation, education and the future of manufacturing in Australia, and to talk about some of the policies Kevin Rudd and Labor have put forward in these areas.

Ms VAMVAKINOU (Calwell) (10.03 p.m.)—Tonight I rise to speak on the Skills Australia Bill 2008, which is currently before the House. This bill highlights the determination of the Rudd government to tackle Australia’s worsening skills crisis, a crisis that has been compounded by a decade of inaction under the previous government and one that has significant economic and social implications for limiting Australia’s ability to meet its future challenges.