Julian Hill (Bruce, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

With no consultation, the government suddenly announced that Australia's embassy in Afghanistan would be closing in one week—this in a country where Australian soldiers have served for 20 years, our longest war; and a nation with which we profess an abiding friendship. The only explanation given is security concerns. If the outlook is that dire that we can't maintain any secure diplomatic presence, what does the government say now to the thousands of Australians desperately waiting for visas for their loved ones? Husbands, wives and children of Australian citizens have been stuck for years, waiting for the black hole of Home Affairs to process their visas.

I call out discrimination when I see it, and these delays are blatantly discriminatory. If an Australian falls in love with someone from the UK, the US or Germany it takes about seven to nine months, it appears, on average, to get their partner visa. But, if an Australian falls in love with someone from Afghanistan, it appears to average nearly four years—or from India or China, about 18 months or more. I say 'appears to' as the government is desperately trying to hide the relative processing times. But a recent FOI reveals the truth: blatant discrimination.

Partner visas should be processed in the order they are received, not according to which countries or ethnicities this government likes more than others. The map doesn't lie. For God sake; if the security situation in Afghanistan is so bad we have to run away, can you do something for Australians whose families are stuck there?

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