I rise today to congratulate a driving force behind local community radio here in Canberra. This year marks the 47th anniversary of the Spanish language Coneccion Latinoamericana program on community radio station 2XX FM. It was the first radio program in Spanish here in the ACT, and its presenter, Victor Marillanca, has been at the helm since that program first started in June 1976.
The 47th anniversary of Victor presenting the program makes him the longest-serving volunteer presenting a Spanish-language Latin American program in community radio in Australia-a remarkable achievement. For his 47 years behind the microphone, Victor has brought thousands of Spanish-speaking people important news and information on a diverse range of topics. The impact of this cannot be overstated for the Spanish-speaking community here in Canberra.
Victor himself arrived in Australia in 1975 as a political refugee from Chile and wasted no time in advocating for others who sought freedom from political repression and human rights abuses. The program provided politicians, academics, diplomats and freedom fighters a platform to share their stories, with translations provided for non-Spanish-speaking listeners. He has also hosted a Latin dance music program since 1995. Congratulations, Victor, on another remarkable milestone, and keep going.
