Year of the Dragon

I send my warmest best wishes to all Australians celebrating the Chinese New Year as we welcome the Year of the Dragon.

The Year of the Dragon is traditionally associated with strength, loyalty and luck – and I hope you and your family enjoy these qualities in abundance.

Chinese New Year is one of our major celebrations and therefore a time for all Australians to rejoice in the success of the multicultural society we have built together, and to celebrate the exceptional contribution the Chinese community has made to our nation.

As we commemorate Chinese New Year, let us remember that the Chinese community has been part of Australian society for almost two centuries.

The shape of our nation is unimaginable without this rich and unique strand of our history.

Today the significance of our Chinese heritage assumes even deeper meaning as we build our contemporary friendship with China and seize the opportunities of the ‘Asian Century’, which is so greatly changing our region and our world. Our nation has never faced the future with greater confidence or better prospects.

In that spirit, I wish all Chinese Australians a happy and prosperous New Year. May the Year of the Dragon bring good fortune and happiness to all.