Anne Stanley (Werriwa, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

The continuing conflict all around the world means there are millions of people who are displaced and whose children are in precarious situations with little or no education. Many of these people have friends and relatives living in the electorate of Werriwa. They constantly hear stories of their families being discriminated against because of their religion, or worse. They are Assyrians, Kurds, Yazidis, Uighurs—the list of communities facing discrimination is sadly too long to mention here today.

Recently I met with Mandaean leaders who live and worship in the electorate of Werriwa. I thank Jamal Al-Mindwy, Tarik Shigar, Basheer Ifen, Lutfi Al-Obaidi and Amad Mtashar for their kindness and for talking with me. Mandaeans follow the teachings of John the Baptist. They are pacifists who speak Aramaic and Arabic. There are estimates that of up to 90 per cent of the Iraqi Mandaeans were killed or fled Iraq after the US invasion in 2003. There are 10,000 Mandaeans in Australia, many living in Werriwa. They are successful doctors, scientists, other professionals and business owners. I have the privilege of calling so many in these communities my friends, as I have known and worked with them so much over the years. I thank them again for their raising concerns with me, and I have spoken to the minister on their behalf.

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