Cassandra Fernando (Holt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Ever since the election of the Albanese Labor government, in May, we have made the overhaul of our immigration system one of our top priorities. I am pleased to see such progress in this space after only six months of hard work by the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, Andrew Giles, and many others of this government. I am personally thankful to the minister for always making time to hear my thoughts on the immigration system, particularly concerning matters about the humanitarian, partner and many other visas that affect my community.

In particular, the Afghan community in my electorate of Holt has been extremely affected by various visa issues for over a decade, and this situation was intensified by the fall of Kabul in August of last year. I am proud that Australia has committed $141 million for humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan from September 2021 to December 2024. This includes $20 million for displaced people within Afghanistan and neighbouring countries hosting Afghan refugees. I know this government shares the concerns of our Afghan community groups at reports of displacement within and surrounding Afghanistan. I know this specific investment, in helping to secure the safety of these displaced people, is an important one.

In addition to the material support, I am pleased the government has allocated 26,500 places in our humanitarian program to Afghan nationals, and since the tragic fall of Kabul, over 8,000 permanent humanitarian visas have been granted to Afghan nationals. It is critical that Australia continue to support our Afghan friends as they supported us and the wider coalition forces. Our financial and humanitarian actions show our commitment to those Afghans and their families who are fleeing Taliban rule. No one, particularly the women of Afghanistan, should have to live in fear and as second-class citizens, and I am glad Australia is playing our part on the global stage in welcoming them with open arms.

In a further show of our commitment to this community, just a few days ago the government announced the cancellation of ministerial Direction 80. This is welcome news to my Afghan community, and indeed, everyone across Australia. The ministerial direction, cruelly put in place by the former government, shamefully put Afghan-sponsored visa applications at the bottom of the pile if the visa holder entered Australia as an unlawful maritime arrival. The cancellation is in stark contrast to the former government, which let the visa tray pile up for over one million applications and left families unable to be reunited, only providing false hope that things would get better. Well, things did get better, but only under the new Labor government. It is a further example of our commitment to convert current holders of temporary protection and safe haven enterprise visas onto permanent visas. This action gives certainty to those who have been on these visas. Many of them have been here for nearly a decade. These people have been already assessed as needing Australia's protection, and it only makes sense to make this permanent. It is the right thing to do.

Further to that, those on TPVs and SHEVs work, pay taxes, start small businesses, employ other Australians and contribute to their communities in various ways, be it through charity, animal welfare or environmental work. This is just a small list of things that they do. These working and contributing members of our community should be allowed to get on with their lives and live in peace, just like the rest of us.

It is a smart economic decision. Through this action, we will stop spending countless taxpayer dollars on reassessing their visas every three to five years. This government strongly believes that we as a society can have strong and guarded borders whilst also being compassionate to our friends in need and doing our part as a global citizen. I praise the government for these necessary changes.

See this speech in context