Key Points
- A newly-elected MP has shared her journey to federal parliament after arriving in Australia as a refugee.
- Independent MP made history at the May election when she beat Labor's candidate, former senator Kristina Keneally.
A first speech is a momentous occasion for any member of parliament, and for Dai Le it was also an opportunity to celebrate multiculturalism.
For her first speech to parliament, the newly-elected independent member for Fowler wore an áo dài, featuring an Australian flag design.
The áo dài is the national dress of her home country of Vietnam and is usually worn on special or regal occasions.
While the Australian flag has been a subject of controversy, Ms Le said it's a representation of the country that welcomed her as a refugee and represents "hope, freedom and endless possibilities."
"For me this dress represents our Australia – a multicultural Australia that embraces people who have come here looking for hope, freedom and opportunities," she told SBS News in a statement.
"It's a celebration of our nation and all the possibilities it delivers."
“Combining both my Vietnamese heritage and the Australian flag represents my two worlds.”
Dai Le's outfit for her first speech celebrated her Vietnamese heritage and the Australian flag. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch
Dai Le recounts her refugee journey in first speech
Ms Le made history at the May election when she beat Labor's candidate, former senator Kristina Keneally, and won the southwest Sydney seat of Fowler.
Fowler had previously been a safe Labor seat, held for 12 years by Labor MP Chris Hayes on a significant margin until his retirement in 2022.
During her speech on Monday, Ms Le shared memories of the boat journey with her mother and sisters after fleeing war-torn Vietnam when the former southern capital of Saigon fell.
Ms Le, who was seven at the time, remembered the treacherous trip where the wooden boat nearly capsized in a major storm.
After living in multiple refugee camps overseas, she and her family were eventually settled in Australia.
"I remember the moment when we were accepted to be resettled as refugees in Australia ... and remembering as we stepped out of [Sydney's] Kingsford Smith airport, the feeling of gratitude and freedom, " she said.
"We were filled with hope as we looked out onto the horizon of endless possibilities."
Independent MP for Fowler Dai Le delivers her first speech in the House of Representatives on Monday. Source: AAP / LUKAS COCH
"This migration story belongs to all of us. It's our story, and we can all be proud to share it."
'Forgotten people' are backbone of Australia
Ms Le said her electorate was tired of being taken for granted by the major parties.
"The people of Fowler wanted and needed a representative who came from their community and would never forget the personal challenges that they face ... not just at election time but every day," she said on Monday.
"While it is a privilege to represent the people of Fowler, we are not a privileged people.
"We are the forgotten people and yet we are the backbone of Australia."
A breast cancer survivor, Ms Le said she had experienced Australia's "amazing" public health system but would use her time in parliament to advocate for more services in her electorate.
Local migrants and refugees can help address skills shortages
With a 10 per cent unemployment rate in Fowler, Ms Le also called on the government to look locally to address Australia's skills shortages.
"We have migrants and refugees with professional qualifications who are now working in underqualified occupations," she said.
"We must work to swiftly create pathways for recognition of their qualifications so that we can engage their skills in our community."
Ms Le worked as a foreign correspondent for the ABC and had previously tried to enter the NSW parliament as the Liberal candidate for Cabramatta.
In 2012, she ran as an independent and was elected to Fairfield City Council, a position she held until 2021.
"I never set out to be a politician," she said.
"I only want to be a strong advocate for a community that has been neglected and abandoned by the major parties."
