Aaron Violi (Casey, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I want to firstly commend the member for McPherson and also commend my neighbour and colleague the member for Menzies for his strong words. I know he has the largest Iranian population in his electorate, and I have a strong Iranian population in Casey. We've worked together for many months now to make sure that we are a voice for the Iranian people here in Australia and also in Iran.

Woman, life, freedom—they are the words that the Iranian protesters use in Australia. This is a movement that started six months ago with the death of Mahsa Amini. This is the sizeable change that has happened in the last six months, with the deaths of Mahsa Amini and many others. The member for Menzies and I have sponsored political protesters who have been arrested, and people have been murdered, and there has been a significant change in the last six months. That's why it is so important we continue to support the Iranian community.

I've had the opportunity to speak at rallies and meet with many people in Casey but also across Victoria. When you hear the passion they have for their country, for their homeland, but also their anguish at loved ones and family members that are in jail or that they have lost, your heart breaks for them. They have such pride in their country, and it's important we continue to be their voice.

That's why I welcome and the coalition welcomes the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee's recommendations, released on 1 February, regarding the human rights implications of the violence in Iran. At the time, our shadow ministers, Senator Simon Birmingham, Mrs Karen Andrews and Senator James Paterson, produced a media release calling for stronger support for the people of Iran, and I echo that. The violence and oppression in Iran require the strongest possible response from the Albanese government and other nations to send a clear message that these actions are not tolerated and must cease.

The recommendations of the committee reaffirm the need for the Albanese government to take greater action against those responsible for the abhorrent human rights abuses in Iran and potential acts of intimidation in Australia. We have been calling for this action for months, but at every step the Albanese government has been slow to act, leading to frustration and concern in the Iranian community. Last year, it was revealed by the Australian Signals Directorate that Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps affiliated actors have targeted Australian organisations. The recently tabled report by the Senate foreign affairs committee, Human rights implications of recent violence in Iran, made 12 recommendations, including:

… that the Australian Government take the necessary steps to formally categorise the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as an organisation involved in supporting and facilitating terrorism.

As the report notes, the overwhelming response from submissions was that the government should take this important action to send a clear message and strong repudiation of their actions.

Australia has a moral obligation to take a strong stand against the IRI's abhorrent behaviour, but it also has an obligation to protect Australians against the dangerous and threatening behaviour of the IRI regime. The IRI regime is effectively a rogue state responsible for acts of terrorism, cybercrime, acts of violence against its critics, hostage diplomacy and other abhorrent behaviour. Australia cannot and should not have any pretence of maintaining a business-as-usual diplomatic relationship with such a regime.

I had the pleasure of meeting a local constituent in Casey, Dr Kylie Moore-Gilbert—who many know—who was taken hostage and imprisoned in Iran on the basis of politically motivated charges. It was powerful to hear her story firsthand. She made a very clear case to the committee as to why the IRGC should be listed as a terror organisation:

Listing the IRGC as a terror organisation would enable Australian law enforcement to prohibit anyone in Australia from sending funds or other support to the IRGC … It would also better enable Australia to deny visas to IRGC members, many of whom are known to have studied in Australian universities in the past, and to prevent IRGC members from gaining residency or citizenship.

The coalition continues to offer bipartisan support for any action by Australia to implement the recommendations of the committee and strengthen the condemnation of the continued abuse of human rights being carried out by the Iranian regime. Australia must take a stance that is consistent with like-minded nations.

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