Thank you, Deputy President.
In relation to the K’gari–Bribie Island Road upgrade, I would like to place on the record my thanks to everyone in the relevant Queensland LNP Government ministry who advocated for this upgrade, and to everyone in the department who delivered it. I also want to acknowledge my good friend Terry Young MP, the Member for Longman, who continually fights for his electorate to ensure it gets the infrastructure it needs as one of the fastest-growing regions in Australia.
I also recognise Ariana Doolan MP, one of the youngest MPs ever elected to the Queensland Parliament, and the Member for Pumicestone. I acknowledge her contribution to ensuring that her community on Bribie Island receives the infrastructure it deserves.
Deputy President, it was wonderful to see this week that members of the Iranian women’s football team secured humanitarian visas to stay in Australia. Five players were in the initial cohort who received humanitarian visas, and subsequently—over the last 24 to 36 hours—an additional player and a support staff member also secured humanitarian visas at this very difficult time for them and their families.
I think all of us were moved by the scenes at the football match where the Iranian women’s team refused to sing the Iranian national anthem, given what is happening in Iran at the moment. We were all horrified by the response of the current Iranian regime to their silent protest. So it is a wonderful outcome that these players and the support team member have now been able to secure humanitarian visas.
I would like to acknowledge those members of the Government—particularly the Minister—and also the Opposition spokesperson for Home Affairs, Senator John O’Donohue, and all of their teams for the way they progressed this matter. I note that the Minister also acknowledged the extremely responsible reporting by the media.
I want to acknowledge all the members of the Department of Home Affairs who no doubt worked tirelessly on this matter, and the members of the Australian Federal Police, who together ensured that every team member and every person in their support network had the opportunity, in privacy, to express their wishes regarding options to seek humanitarian protection in Australia.
I also acknowledge the Iranian-Australian diaspora, who have been tireless advocates for human rights, freedom, democracy, and the rights of women and girls in Iran, as well as strong supporters of the Iranian women’s football team.
This is a wonderful outcome for those members of the team who have secured humanitarian visas to stay in Australia.
This development coincided with an event last night convened by the Parliamentary Friends of Refugees, of which I am a co‑chair, along with fellow co‑chairs Sarah Whitby MP, Allegra Spender MP, and Senator David Shoebridge. It was the first meeting of the Parliamentary Friends of Refugees convened during this Parliament. I would like to acknowledge the role of the Refugee Council of Australia in helping bring this event about.
It is important to note that last year Australia welcomed its one‑millionth refugee since 1947—one million people from all over the world who fled political persecution, regardless of their cultural background or religion, who have found safety and the opportunity to build new lives here.
It is an opportunity to reflect on our refugee program and its success over so many decades.
I reflect on the groups I have met across the country over the last 12 months, including the wonderful Australian Vietnamese Women’s Association, founded in 1983. Last year marked the 50th anniversary of the arrival of humanitarian entrants from Vietnam. We think of the extraordinary contribution made by our Vietnamese community. The Association began with 15 women led by Mrs Cam Nguyen who came together with a desire to give back to the community, and from that point it has gone from strength to strength, providing support across Melbourne.
I also reflect on my visit to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre in Melbourne—a centre that provides food, housing, English language education, pathways to employment, and legal support for people seeking asylum. I acknowledge the contribution of Kon, the CEO and founder, as well as Jana Ogi and the many volunteers supporting asylum seekers.
During that trip, Deputy President, I visited Dandenong, and the contribution of the Hazara Australian community to the reinvigoration of Dandenong is inspiring. I attended a wonderful Hazara restaurant, and when I asked the owner how long it had been open, he said fewer than ten years—but he also has five other businesses in the main street of Dandenong. Their contribution is simply incredible.
I also reflect on my home community in Queensland. A few weeks ago, I attended the opening of the Matu Community Hub in Logan. Under the leadership of LOM, Nguam and their team, they are doing outstanding work supporting members of the Chin community who have come from Myanmar, fleeing political persecution and violence, and building new lives here. Remarkably, they have also formed a relationship with members of the Eritrean community who arrived here as refugees. Where else in the world would you see such alignment and community-building between people from Burma and Eritrea?
Last night, we heard from outstanding advocates from refugee communities. We heard from Mr Roman Abbasi, a Taekwondo champion from Afghanistan. He and his family came to Australia—as did thousands of Afghans—following the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in August 2021. He was an advocate for human rights, especially for women and girls, which is why he had to flee. He is now rebuilding his life here and has even opened his own Taekwondo school, offering first‑class training to young people.
We also heard from a remarkable woman named Abang Otho, from South Sudan, who came to Australia as an unaccompanied minor under our refugee program. She is now an educator, speaker, writer, leader, and founder of her wellbeing framework, Buckets of Hope. She provides inspiring leadership across Australia, including in my home state of Queensland.
As a sign of respect to her and her contribution, I want to share the story of her father, because every one of the one million refugees who have come to Australia has their own story. Abang’s father, Professor Anard Otho, known as Paul, was a visionary scholar, public servant, and courageous advocate for the people of Sudan. He was among the first in his community to receive higher education and served his country as Minister for the Interior, advocating for unity, justice, and protection of minority groups, including women and children.
His commitment to equality and human rights came at a great personal cost. In 1996, he was brutally assassinated for standing by his principles. Now his daughter has found safety and prosperity in Australia and is contributing to our community—just one of the many stories of the one million refugees who have found a home here.
