Australia Day Ambassador - Parramatta 2025

It was a great honor to be the Australia Day Ambassador for the City of Parramatta 2025. I was fortunate to speak at the Citizen of the year Awards Ceremony, yesterday. And again today at the Australia Day Citizenship Ceremony. It was such an extraordinary experience. What was also extraordinary, was the honour of visiting the memorial park of a hero to the Tongan people, Walter Lawry. Walter Lawry married a young lady named Mary Hassall who was born in Parramatta in 1799. Mary was also a hero to the Tongan people as she was the first missionary to Tonga from Australia. The two of them began a movement that changed our little island nation for the better. We are deeply indebted to them both. Standing over the memorial stone, representing my family and the people of Tonga, I whispered, we honour you, thank you for the powerful legacy that still lives on as an inspiration to give to others as you have given so much to us. Thanks Bruno