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

This morning I attended a press conference organised by the Australian Hazara Advocacy Network and the Parliamentary Friends of the Hazara. The occasion served as a reminder of the issues people in Afghanistan and the Afghan diaspora have had to deal with since the fall of Kabul. As we approach 15 August, we are reminded that two years have lapsed since the fall of the previous government of Afghanistan into the hands of the Taliban, an illegitimate government that is no friend of democracy, human rights or global peace.

Regrettably, during this period, the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and the gross violations of human rights by the Taliban have gotten worse. It has led to mass migration out of Afghanistan, particularly among the Australian mission's locally engaged employees, ethnic minorities like the Hazaras, journalists, women's rights activists and those supportive of the previous democratic regime. I am pleased with the unwavering support extended by the Albanese Labor government to the people of Afghanistan and remain steadfast in my commitment to continue advocating for their fundamental rights and safety.