Chris Hayes (Fowler, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If any good can be drawn from the devastating images of a toddler's lifeless body being washed up on a beach in Turkey, it is that the world is finally paying attention. We are seeing the consequences of the conflicts in Iraq and Syria for what they really are—the largest, most devastating and overwhelming humanitarian crises since the Second World War. Many European countries have now opened their doors and taken in tens of thousands of refugees. The UNHCR is estimating that so far this year more than 366,000 refugees and migrants have crossed the Mediterranean to Europe. Almost 3,000 people have died or disappeared during the perilous journey. The numbers are truly staggering. Germany alone is expecting as many as 800,000 people by the end of the year.

More than half of the United Nations' aid budget is now being directed to assist the displaced people of Syria. Domestically we are at last having a conversation about Australia's contribution in assisting people in this crisis. In addition to our responsibility as a global citizen we have a responsibility to the people of the region as we were part of the coalition of the willing, which contributed to unintended consequences that led to the instability impacting the Middle East today. I hope that global initiatives soon eventuate in a more coordinated and effective response to the Syrian crisis.

Australia currently takes in 13,750 refugees per year. Earlier this week we sought a bipartisan position for this country to accept an extra 10,000 refugees from Syria. Given the magnitude of this crisis and the number of people seeking refuge, I know that 10,000 additional places is a drop in the ocean, but as part of a global effort it would be significant. Our current contribution must be reconsidered as it simply does not allow us to make a dent in the burden now faced by the global community, particularly by the countries that neighbour Iraq and Syria.

More than half of Syria's 23 million citizens are currently displaced. An estimated five million people initially sought sanctuary in the neighbouring countries of Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon. These countries are certainly carrying more than their fair share in this humanitarian crisis. The number of refugees flooding into Lebanon almost equates to half that country's population, while Jordan has accepted 600,000 refugees, which is close to 20 per cent of its population. Turkey also is continuing to play a very substantial role and make a significant contribution. These countries are certainly carrying the heaviest load in this humanitarian crisis. They are struggling to deal with the overwhelmingly high and growing number of refugees. As a consequence they are now heavily managing their borders.

Last November I visited refugee camps in Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon and what I saw will stay with me forever. The refugees I spoke to, mainly women and children, told me they just wanted to go home. There was not a lot of hope or certainty for their future. The despair was absolutely palpable. They were living in crowded tents or shipping containers. These refugee camps were initially constructed for short-term occupancy. It was initially though that the Syrian crisis would not last more than three months. Four years later there is no end in sight and they are still there.

Frustration over the conditions in the camps, the desperation, the uncertainty about the future and the now heavily managed borders all contribute to thousands of people making the extremely dangerous sea crossings. Australia should continue to work with other countries and the United Nations Security Council in developing strategies to resolve the conflict and allow people to return home, as that is what they want to do. This would certainly be the best long-term solution. Meanwhile, however, we must do more. We must try to save as many innocent lives as possible and give them a chance at a better life. The right thing is not simply to care; the right thing is to be compassionate. I strongly urge the government to address this matter.