John Alexander (Bennelong, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

[by video link] The Taliban resurgence has been rapid and absolute, sweeping resistance before it and leaving fear and uncertainty in its path. Every night our televisions are full of images of crying children, despairing parents and heaving throngs of people, all aiming to be the lucky ones to get on a plane out of Afghanistan. Our government is doing great work in an incredibly tough situation, getting people on planes, but, despite this, getting on a plane is very difficult. Soon the planes will stop flying and the world's next refugee crisis will be upon us. It will be the responsibility of those countries that have been involved in the rebuilding of Afghanistan to step up.

Over the past 20 years, we have worked with Afghans to help them dream of a renewed country, with opportunities for all. In light of our not having achieved this goal, we cannot leave those we have worked alongside to suffer while we wash our hands. Australia must be generous and lead at the forefront of this humanitarian response. Australia is a generous country. When the world is in crisis, we open our doors, as Ben Chifley did after World War II, as Malcolm Fraser did after the Vietnam War, as Bob Hawke did after Tiananmen Square and as Tony Abbott did after the Syrian crisis. We owe it to the people of Afghanistan. We should open our doors once again.

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