Josh Burns (Macnamara, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Today I rise to talk about the events in Iran after the death and custody of Mahsa Amini. The images we've seen have been both distressing and inspiring—distressing because we see the Iranian regime killing dozens of young demonstrators in the streets, inspiring because we can see the people of Iran, particularly young people and women, protesting against the regime which has oppressed them more than 40 years. We have seen them taking to the street, singing, dancing, cutting their hair and displaying great courage. Tragically, today we learned that Hadis Najafi, a young woman who had become well known on social media as a symbol of resistance, was also shot and killed by Iranian authorities.

The Iranian people are famous for their intellect, their architecture and their rich history. They should be making a great contribution to the world. Instead they are being cruelly held back. The Iranian regime not only denies freedom at home but also sponsors terrorism abroad and threatens the security of the whole region by developing nuclear weapons. The Iranian regime's ongoing denial of women's rights continues to raise significant questions about their position on the UN Commission on the Status of Women. From Australia we acknowledge the bravery of those protesting. We say at this time, 'We see you and we support your right to protest.'

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