Josh Burns (Macnamara, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In 1938, the Evian Conference was convened in France, where delegates from 32 countries around the world gathered to discuss options for settling Jewish refugees fleeing Europe. Australia's delegate, Colonel White, infamously said:

… we have no real racial problem, we are not desirous of importing one …

My grandmother was one of the 9,000 European Jews who made it into Australia in 1939 before the war. She was included in that approach by Colonel White as potentially importing a racism problem into this country. She, of course, did not, nor was she any threat. She was a teacher. She held multiple degrees and she was a proud Australian. Back then, it was my community, and today, it is another. But our principles should be the same.

I'm in full support of having a sensible conversation about our national security and immigration policy, but collectively categorising people fleeing from war is harmful. We don't have an immigration policy based on religion or race. We have not had one for a long time, and we should never go back. Our security agencies have a process that looks at individual people who are seeking a visa in this country. Anyone currently seen fleeing Gaza is also currently checked by Egypt and Israel.

Ten months ago, on October 7, Hamas committed barbaric and unspeakable crimes. Of course, anyone who supports these should not be let into this country. The Palestinian people of Gaza, like my family and friends in Israel, did not choose this war, and we must maintain our humanity and respect human rights for all.