Attending the Tropical Wave festival on Saturday 17th September, conducting a citizenship ceremony and attending Peace Week events reminded me just how multi-cultural this region is. We have people from many different countries who now call Australia home and it's uplifting to see them celebrating their food, dance, song, traditional dress and culture. We always sing the second verse of the national anthem at Citizenship ceremonies and dwell on the words, "for those who've come across the seas, we've boundless plains to share."

Whilst the current immigration debate is sending the message that we don't want to share our country with refugees, the vibrant cultural activity showcased at Fogarty Park is an indicator of how the many millions who've come across the seas have enriched our lives and our culture.

I had a terrific time at the Friendship Soccer tournament with Korean, Hmong, Bhutanese, Papua New Guinean and Punjabi sporting teams. It's only recently that refugees from Bhutan have come to live in Cairns and they have engaged in Cairns life with much enthusiasm. I sometimes see teenagers enthusiastically playing cricket as well as soccer and I think some of the young people are going to make a name for themselves in sporting fields as well as academically and socially.