Christmas wishes from Laurie Ferguson
21 December 2007
Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services, Laurie Ferguson, today extended his best wishes to all Australians for the festive season.
'In our multicultural society today, Australians regardless of faith, celebrate Christmas as a time to unite, to reflect and to extend the hand of friendship and support to those who are less fortunate than themselves,' Mr Ferguson said.
Around 13 million or about 64 per cent of Australians identified themselves as Christian in the 2006 Census.
'Christmas Day still reflects many of the traditions that our early forbears brought with them from all over the world,' Mr Ferguson said.
'With each new migrant to Australia, those early traditions have grown with the customs of many more cultures and our nation is richer for helping to sustain that diversity.
'We still face many challenges, but migration has made the nation we live in today so successful as an economy and as a diverse and cohesive society.
'And so, whether you celebrate Christmas by attending church services, as a family celebration with a traditional lunch or just as a holiday, have a safe and happy Christmas and new year,' Mr Ferguson added.Media contact: Khaldoun Hajaj - 0404 078 692
URL: http://www.minister.immi.gov.au
/parlsec/media/media-releases/2007/lf07002.htm
Last update: 13 August 2008 at 17:14 AEST