Maria Vamvakinou (Calwell, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I begin by congratulating the member for Melbourne Ports on his private member’s motion. It is a timely motion and one that I am very pleased to speak to this evening. My electorate of Calwell has the largest Turkish-speaking constituency in Australia. In the 42 years since the signing of a formal migration agreement between Turkey and Australia significant communities have grown throughout the country but it is Melbourne that boasts the highest number of Turkish Australians.

Let me say a few words about Australia’s relationship with the Republic of Turkey. Our two countries share a unique bond. We have a common history of significant loss and supreme sacrifice. Thousands of young Australians lost their lives in a place very far away from home. Today Gallipoli is a sacred place visited by many Australians across generations, particularly on Anzac Day. It is also a sacred place for the Turkish people and we remember those events together each year.

I want to pay tribute to Mr Ramazan Altintas, who is the founder of the Turkish sub-branch of the RSL. As Ramazan once told me, it was not easy initially to convince the RSL to establish a Turkish sub-branch, but he persisted and eventually won the support of Bruce Ruxton, who was himself a regular attendee at the Anzac Day event until his retirement some years ago. This is a significant measure of the maturity of Australia’s relationship with Turkey but also a sign of the successful integration of Turkish Australians in the broader community.

Today the Republic of Turkey is a friendly power and enjoys the status of warm, peaceful friendship and mutual respect with Australia. Our relationship is a result of 42 years of migration between Turkey and Australia. The Turkish community proudly commemorated this milestone with a year-long cultural and artistic program. I was fortunate enough to attend some of these activities and they were very impressive indeed.

Now in its second to third generation, the Turkish community can rightfully claim success stories in all fields, especially education and commerce. One example in particular stands out, and tonight I want to pay tribute to the late Mustafa Ilhan, better known to us as John Ilhan of Crazy John’s fame. His is the consummate migrant success story, and no-one tells it more proudly than Mr Ali Ilhan, the patriarch of the Ilhan family. Ali is my constituent and over the years I have come to know him well. He brought his young family—two sons and a daughter—to Australia many years ago, settled in Broadmeadows and went to work at the local Ford factory, an employer of many Turkish migrants. I know that Ali is proud of his family and in particular his late son Mustafa, who not only was a spectacular success in business but also gave back to his local community, never forgetting his roots and humble beginnings. Tragically, Mustafa died all too young. A park at a sporting facility in Broadmeadows has recently been renamed in John Ilhan’s memory and honour.

Broadmeadows has a very special place in the history of Australian Turkish migration. Many of my constituents tell me that, when the first plane load of Turkish migrants arrived at Tullamarine airport following the 1967 agreement, they went straight from the aeroplane to the Maygar barracks in Broadmeadows, which had become a hostel for these new migrants. If Broadmeadows has the largest concentration of Turkish Australians, it is precisely because most of them did some time in the barracks and then chose to settle in and around the local area. They built a strong presence with mosques, schools and shops, just like any other large migrant community that came before them.

But like so many of us, Turkish migrants encountered much prejudice in the early years. They worked hard to overcome stigma and embrace their Australian-Turkish identity with pride. They have come a long way, with the current Prime Minister of Turkey, Tayyip Erdogan, visiting Broadmeadows a few years ago. In his speech, Prime Minister Erdogan affirmed how far this community have come and congratulated them on their achievements.

The leadership and strength shown by the Turkish community, during trying times, is exemplary. None of us can forget the repercussions of September 11, 2001: overnight, law-abiding community members were suddenly seen no longer as Australians of migrant background but primarily as Muslims. I know the angst this created for many. I also know that it was the local Turkish community who rose to the challenge and helped build bridges through interfaith and intercommunity dialogue. It is appropriate at this point to commend Mr Ibrahim Delal and Mr Orhan Cicek for their efforts in that venture.

I also want to warmly thank the local Turkish community for the support they have given me over the years. To be of Greek origin and represent in the federal parliament the largest Turkish-speaking community in Australia is an honour and a rare phenomenon. It says a lot about the cohesiveness of our multicultural society, its diversity and indeed its strength.

Bruce Scott (Maranoa, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise with great pride this evening to support the motion put forward by the member for Melbourne Ports. I note the member for Calwell’s comments about the Turkish RSL sub-branch here in Australia. I visited her electorate, when I was Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, to attend a very large Turkish function.

We have had a unique relationship with the Republic of Turkey. Today we celebrate and once again commit ourselves as a nation and as members of parliament to continue to build on that relationship, which established itself not necessarily 40 years ago but following the First World War. The immortal words of the founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, ultimately gave rise to the friendship we have with the people of Turkey as Australians and in this parliament. Australia lost more than 8,000 young Australians on the shores of Gallipoli. The Turkish people lost something like 80,000 of their population. British, Indians, French and South Africans were also lost. It is very hard to comprehend the loss and sacrifice on both sides. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk  said these wonderful words in the 1930s:

You the mothers who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears. Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. Having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.

I think those words are what started to grow the relationship and break down some mistrust and bitter memories of the loss on both sides at the time of the First World War. When Australia landed on Turkish shores at Gallipoli in the First World War as part of the Anzac forces, as a young nation with less than five million people it was a time in our history when we lost our innocence forever.

As Minister for Veterans’ Affairs from 1996 to 2001, I had the great privilege of travelling on a number of occasions to Turkey and to Canakkale, the region where Gallipoli is located. I was able to establish a new site for the dawn service to be held outside of the Commonwealth war grave. Imagine going to another country and seeking some of their sovereign land to place a memorial where Australia as a nation could commemorate our landing on their shores during the First World War. I had great cooperation from the governor of the Canakkale area and from the minister and from the highest level of government in Turkey. That site has become a place of pilgrimage for so many young Australians, reinforcing the relationship between Australia and Turkey. I am told that the majority of Australians who were at the dawn service at Gallipoli this year were under the age of 25. What that says to me is that the relationship will only strengthen, given that a younger generation has now taken up what is their gift forever, the touchstone of what it means to be Australian, the place where Australia came of age as a nation and where that Anzac spirit was born.

Since the start of Turkish migration to Australia, the Turkish people have brought an enormous amount to our country and contributed in so many ways, not only making us a more culturally diverse nation but bringing with them things that have only made Australia a better place. Of course, from the trade point of view, our trade with the Turkish nation grows year on year, and that is another positive. I also want to mention the great embassy that they have established here in Canberra. The ambassadors and their staff and spouses have also made a great contribution to the community here in Canberra. It is not just about the relationship and the celebration of the 42 years since those agreements were signed but about the fact that the Turkish people and the Turkish nation have a real commitment through the embassy to build and grow this relationship. (Time expired)

Jennie George (Throsby, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise tonight in support of the motion before the House, which, rightly, celebrates and commends the achievements and contributions of the Turkish community to our nation. We are celebrating the 42nd anniversary of the agreement between the two governments in regard to the residence and employment of Turkish citizens in Australia. It is the case that our two countries have established a unique relationship and bond based upon the sacrifices of the young men of both nations at Gallipoli.

In commemoration of that bond I am proud to recount tonight the details of a ceremonial event that has been conducted in my electorate of Throsby since 2005. The event is known as the Friendship for Life ceremony, initiated by the Port Kembla RSL sub-branch in conjunction with the local Turkish community. The annual ceremony offers a unique opportunity to not only honour our fallen war dead but also celebrate the notions of mutual respect and friendship between the two nations. The acknowledgment that these values can be attained and strengthened even in times of conflict is a crucial lesson for our children and society in general. We will continue to promote the desire for peace and understanding among all people.

The Friendship for Life ceremony was the idea of a young Turkish woman, Songul Demirci, who was touched by the famous words of the first president of the republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, when he stated of the Anzacs fallen at Gallipoli:

After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.

Those very famous words, of course, are recounted in the motion in the House this evening. The words of this pledge of friendship promoted the creation of the Friendship for Life association, with the support and guidance of the late Ray Wetherall, president of the sub-branch, and that tradition has been followed on by his son Terry and family. The event every year continues in association, as I said earlier, between the Port Kembla sub-branch and our local Turkish community.

Since 2005 we have held the annual celebration at the RSL club. This celebration has included local politicians, representatives of the RSL and representatives of the military; community groups, including the Wollongong Brass Brand and the Wollongong Harmony Chorus; and local school students, including students of Turkish descent who attend Sule College and students from our public schools in that local area. Most importantly, the ceremony commits to the bonds of friendship between our local community. We have also seen very high-level representation, including the Turkish military attache, the Turkish consulate general from Sydney and the president of the New South Wales Turkish RSL, who have all at different times since 2005 participated and paid their respects to this shared heritage between our two nations.

Friendship for Life celebrates the mutual respect and friendship between Australian and Turkish forces that transcended the Gallipoli campaign, and we hope to continue to expand upon the stated values of the organisation—that is, the values of friendship, respect, peace, honour, goodwill, humanity and tolerance. To this end, plans are afoot to introduce the Friendship for Life ceremony nationally over the years ahead. This year at the local ceremony we were pleased to have been joined by Don Rowe OAM, Deputy National President and New South Wales State President of the RSL. To aid in achieving its goals, the Friendship for Life association is intent upon maintaining and building relationships with the RSL of Australia, other multicultural and religious groups, businesses, government and the community at large. I am sure that the success of the ceremony and the message it brings will be further strengthened by the strategies for future growth and the ongoing support of our community and local politicians.

It is cause for great pride to me that this ceremony had its inception in my electorate of Throsby. The association has done a fine job in conceiving the ceremony, and it is proof of the drive, initiative and activism within the electorate and within my local Turkish community. Hopefully, with continued support, the Friendship for Life ceremony and the values it represents will become celebrated around the nation.

Peter Lindsay (Herbert, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the heights above Anzac Cove is a very significant statue, and it is of course of Ataturk. It is at the base of that statue that those famous words that the member for Maranoa repeated in this chamber earlier tonight appear. But not too many people know that there is another statue of Ataturk on a headland overlooking the sea in Australia. You might ask: ‘Why is there a statue of Ataturk? Where is it?’ Western Australians will know: it is in Albany. And why is it in Albany? That statue and its commemoration of Ataturk tells part of the story of the special relationship between Australia and Turkey.

On 1 November 1914, 30,000 Australian and New Zealand troops departed from Albany. They were the first ANZAC convoy to leave Australia and were bound for training in Egypt and then on to Gallipoli. Many of the soldiers who left Albany that day would never see Australia again. Over 8,000 Australians died at Gallipoli. Ataturk’s famous words, ‘After having lost their lives on this land, they have become our sons as well,’ also now appear on the Kemal Ataturk Memorial on Anzac Parade here in Canberra. The City of Albany remembers the words and the actions of Ataturk. He is commemorated by the statue on the headland as well as by Ataturk Channel in the Princess Royal Harbour.

There is nothing quite as special as having the privilege of being at Anzac Cove on Anzac Day. This was the day in 1915 when, many historians argue, Australia finally stepped off the coattails of Britain and became a nation in its own right. Both Australia and Turkey regard the 1915 Gallipoli landings as an event of particular significance in their modern histories. Every year, a growing number of Australian and Turkish citizens attend commemorative services at Gallipoli, with approximately 10,000 Australians attending the 91st anniversary commemorative service—

A division having been called in the House of Representatives—

Turkey occupies a geostrategic position between Europe, the Caucasus, central Asia and the Middle East. With a land area of approximately 771,000 square kilometres, it is slightly smaller than New South Wales. Most of Turkey lies in Asia, but three per cent is in Europe. Istanbul, the largest city, with a population of around 12 million, serves as a bridge between the continents of Europe and Asia.

Most members of the Turkish born community in Australia are Muslims, mainly of the Sunni and Alevi sects. The 2001 census records 29,821 Turkish born migrants and an overall community size, including second and third generation, of 54,596. Other estimates suggest the Turkish community in Australia could be as large as 100,000 people.

In 2005 two-way trade was around $695 million. Australian exports to Turkey totalled $345 million, with imports totalling $350 million. (Time expired)

Judi Moylan (Pearce, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The time allotted for this debate has expired. The debate is adjourned and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.