Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection. I am told that there is a mother in Syria who has not left her home for the last year, or let her daughters out either, because she lives in an ISIS controlled area and she fears what ISIS will do to women. Her husband fled Syria, hoping to find refuge and then bring the family to safety. He made it to Australia but has spent the last two years locked up in detention centres, and he is now having heart attacks. Please, Minister, will you do the appropriate checks and let this family live reunited in Australia in safety and freedom?

Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for Melbourne for his question. I acknowledge his support for the announcement which the government has made to issue a further 12,000 visas for people who have been affected by this terrible conflict in Syria.

As was announced yesterday, the concentration of people we will bring are those who have been displaced from Syria and who are currently in countries such as Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. Our priority will be those who are members of persecuted minorities. Why is that the case? That is the case because the persecuted minorities have the least opportunity of ever returning to their ancestral homes. They are the ones who we want to particularly take care of in this regard.

The sad reality is that there are millions of people who have been displaced by this terrible conflict in Syria and across the Middle East, millions of people displaced by the medieval barbarity of Daesh, ISIL and the like. But, just as all wars and conflicts occur, at some stage, God willing, this will come to an end and many of those people will be able to return to their homes. But we know that those who will be least likely to be able to return to their homes will be persecuted minorities, and therefore we believe that the compassionate act of generosity from this country should first and foremost be directed to those people. As for the case in question, I will refer that matter to the minister when he returns.