BackWednesday, 28 October 2015
Eurovision Song Contest
The Hon. K.L. VINCENT: ‘Can you hear the drums, Fernando?’ Mr President, for the purpose of this speech you will be playing the role of Fernando. You have no lines but just think Eurovisionary Fernando thoughts.
Can you hear the drums, Fernando? (Abba, Fernando, 1986)
When you hear our voices call (Polina Gagarina, Russia, A million voices, 2015)
you won’t be lonely anymore (Polina Gagarina, Russia, A million voices, 2015)
All we need is lightning (Lordi, Finland, Hard Rock Hallelujah, 2006)
with power and might (Lordi, Finland, Hard Rock Hallelujah, 2006)
When you’re down down low (Maraays, Slovenia, Here for You, 2015)
and there’s no place you can go (Maraays, Slovenia, Here for You, 2015)
Rise like a Phoenix… (Conchita Wurst, Austria, Rise Like a Phoenix, 2014)
We are the heroes of our time (Måns Zelmerlöw, Sweden, Heroes, 2015)
I’m a warrior (Nina Sublatti, Georgia, Warrior, 2015)
And if we die tomorrow (Loïc Nottet, Belgium, Rhythm Inside, 2015)
what’ll we have to show? (Loïc Nottet, Belgium, Rhythm Inside, 2015)
All the wars for nothing, it never ends (Boggie, Hungary, Wars for Nothing, 2015)
Mr President (or Fernando as the case may be)—
I better let you go… (Mørland & Debrah Scarlett, Norway, A Monster Like Me, 2015)
No I won’t sleep tonight (Azerbaijan, Elnur Huseynoy, Hour of the Wolf, 2015)
If tomorrow comes I’ll lose my mind… (Elnur Huseynoy, Azerbaijan, Hour of the Wolf, 2015)
Forget tomorrow (Guy Sebastian, Australia, Tonight Again, 2015)
we can do tonight again (Guy Sebastian, Australia, Tonight Again, 2015)
With these words, carefully chosen from the artists and songs of Eurovision over the years, which I believe speak to the boldness and gallantry of Guy Sebastian’s performance, Dignity for Disability would like to support the Hon. Ms Lee’s motion in congratulating Adelaide’s own Guy Sebastian for his wonderful performance representing Australia in Eurovision this year.
Although I might have my own views as to whether or not the English language should actually have a place in the Eurovision Song Contest, Mr Sebastian continues a long and proud tradition in this state of our musicians playing at the forefront of popular music locally, nationally and internationally, and regardless of which language he chooses to do that in, on behalf of Dignity for Disability I salute him.
