Novak meets Australia Governor-General

Novak thanked Hurley that Australia was a “second home” to many Hungarians where they could preserve their identity, traditions and culture. “They could keep their roots and maintain their Hungarian identity while becoming Australian,” and contributing to the country’s economy, she said.

Novak’s visit to Australia is marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, the statement said.

Hurley and Novak also discussed boosting cooperation in economy and higher education, family policy, and fighting illegal migration, the statement said.

Novak also met New South Wales Governor Margaret Beazley on Friday.

Later on Friday, the last day of her visit, Novak met members of the South Hungarian Club (Delvideki Magyar Klub), a club of Vojvodina Hungarians in Sydney. She lit a candle to commemorate the 1956 anti-Communist uprising and laid a wreath at plaque commemorating the victims of the 1944 Vojvodina massacre, where she said “people had to die because they were openly Hungarian”.