Alannah Mactiernan (Perth, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There are strong links between the Macedonian community of Perth and that of Wollongong. It was with great pleasure that I had the opportunity a couple of weeks ago to meet with the community in Wollongong. I thank them for their extraordinary warmth and hospitality. Accompanied by my colleagues the member for Throsby and the member for Cunningham, we committed to working towards Australian recognition of the Republic of Macedonia's preferred name. We heard once again from Macedonian Australians that they believe it is very disrespectful to lumber the country of their ancestors with a manifestly absurd name. Their request is simple. They want Australia, in its bilateral dealings, to use the name the country itself uses. We should be on the side of a sensible solution.

The geographic area occupied by the republic has long connection with the evolving political entity known as 'Macedonia'. It is my understanding it was incorporated into Macedonia at the time of Philip II some 2,000 years ago. The connection of Greece with historic Macedonia is not in any way diminished by recognising that another nation also has a connection. Modern boundaries of nation states are the result of millennia of history; they are not neat. This is not about choosing between Macedonian Australians and Greek Australians; it is about a bipartisan, common-sense, 21st century solution that respects all.