Katie Allen (Higgins, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise in this chamber to speak on the member for McNamara's motion on those seeking asylum in Australia. Australia has a long and proud tradition of resettling migrants and refugees and vulnerable people in humanitarian need. The horrific situation in Afghanistan is the most recent example of Australia supporting the evacuation of asylum seekers to escape unbearable and dangerous circumstances. In August this year, the Australian government, led by Minister Payne and Minister Hawke, were able to evacuate over 4,000 people from Kabul, making it the largest humanitarian airlift operation in our history. Thank you to Professor Sharon Pickering, a Higgins constituent, who helped bring the plight of a large group of fleeing Afghans with connections to Monash University to my attention so that we could work together to safely bring them to Australia.

Following this crisis, the Morrison government announced new funding of $27 million for a tailored Afghan settlement support package to help recent evacuees from Afghanistan settle successfully into their new lives in Australia. Amongst that includes $6 million committed to a specialist legal support for those evacuees and subclass 449 temporary humanitarian stay visas to transition to permanent visas. A further $7.9 million is being committed to the program of assistance for survivors of torture and trauma. We know many of those fleeing Afghanistan have suffered. Many Afghan arrivals are highly skilled professionals with strong English language skills, so $4.8 million has been committed to help new arrivals navigate skills recognition and education pathways to quickly secure suitable employment. These programs follow extensive consultation by Minister Alex Hawke with the Advisory Panel on Australian Resettlement of Afghan Nationals. We are determined, as a government, to help these people resettle quickly, efficiently and safely.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees' most recent estimate, the number of people forcibly displaced globally is now more 80 million, with more than 26 million refugees. This does not include people fleeing the most recent crisis in Afghanistan. Australia needs to continue to make its contribution to dealing with this problem, and encourage our government to continue to increase the envelope that we can provide, particularly as we come out of COVID. However, we never want to return to the situation that was allowed to happen under the Labor government in 2013, when at least 50,000 people arrived in Australia by boats that were often not seaworthy, with, tragically, more than 1,200 dying at sea. Since 2013, our government has worked methodically and successfully to end maritime people smuggling.

The government is committed to the welfare of those seeking refuge here. Healthcare services are provided through onsite primary and mental health clinics, with referral to allied and specialist health providers as required as their claims are being processed. Acute medical care is provided by hospitals, if needed. I understand the government is presently in discussions with New Zealand with regard to a generous resettlement offer. The contents of these discussion remain confidential, but I look forward to a speedy resolution.

Since the first Australian citizenship ceremony on 26 January 1949, we've welcomed more than five million new citizens to our shores, including 900,000 refugees. They bring with them stories of their journey to our country as well as their rich culture and a myriad of languages and religions, which add to the wonderful and diverse multiculturalism that's modern day Australia.

One such person is Najaf Mazari, who runs a successful business in my electorate of Higgins. He came to Australia 20 years ago as a refugee from Afghanistan. He's written a very moving book about his extraordinary story of escape from Afghanistan and his new life in Australia. The Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif was on the VCE reading list for four years, and Najaf was nominated for Australian of the Year in 2012. Proceeds from the sale of Najaf's book have funded the development of AusGhan Aid, a charity that Najaf founded to support over 70 villages in Afghanistan—a true story of hope. Najaf has been very grateful for the support the Australian government has given to help bring his compatriots safely to Australia following the most recent crisis in Kabul.

As I said in my first speech:

I want to ensure that those who seek a better life in our country are warmly welcomed and made at home, that they are given the same opportunities as all Australians to aspire to a better life.

I'm proud of Australia's response to the recent crisis in Afghanistan and look forward to the successful resettlement of those fleeing persecution and their contributions to Australia like Najaf's.

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