Julian Hill (Bruce, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Citizenship, Customs and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

One of the coolest new things in south-east Melbourne is the Ramadan night markets in Dandenong. Everyone was superexcited to welcome the Prime Minister on the first night. There was an incredibly warm welcome. He was mobbed by wellwishers. It started last year and it took Melbourne by storm. Hundreds of thousands of people came through in the first year, and this year it's twice the size. We provided an election commitment of $225,000 over three years to help with the safety, security and staging. It is a safe, welcoming and family-friendly environment, with kebabs, drinks and rides for the kids. Perhaps the best thing about it is to see Muslim and non-Muslim Australians all mingling in the streets, having a great time and enjoying the markets together, sharing an iftar in the holy month of Ramadan in the Islamic cultural tradition. Thursday to Sunday into Eid, come on down.

It's a big month of course, with Christians marking Lent, in the lead-up to Easter, and Chinese Lunar New Year, or Tet in the Vietnamese calendar—the Year of the Fire Horse. But, despite the celebrations, it's also a very difficult time for thousands of people in my community, given the violent conflict in Iran and the Middle East. Tens of thousands of Australians are worried about family and loved ones.

For Iranian Australians, there are mixed feelings. There were celebrations in Melbourne, Sydney and elsewhere at the death of the ayatollah—a murderous dictator, the head of an evil regime responsible for orchestrating attacks here on Australian soil. For decades he's overseen the murder of untold tens or hundreds of thousands of his own citizens and the oppression of millions, breaching —any concept of human rights in a modern world. He's been a sponsor of terror across the region and the globe, the head of a nuclear weapons program, in violation of United Nations sanctions and resolutions, and a threat to global peace. Whilst many Iranian Australians, they are also saddened, worried about family and loved ones and civilian casualties, and fearful of what may come next. As the Foreign Minister said, it's up to the Iranian people to determine their destiny. They're a beautiful, cultured, educated people, the inheritors of the Persian civilisation. I hope they can seize the moment and reclaim their country from extremists. But also for the Afghan community—there are tens of thousands of close family members of Australians, who fled the Taliban, sheltering in Iran right now. They are partners, children, parents, brothers and sisters of Australians.

The government has upgraded the travel alerts to 'do not travel' for countries across the region. There are many questions being received on visas. The situation in the Middle East is such that the Department of Home Affairs is unable to operate at all in Iran and is severely limited across the region. We advise Australians to leave safely if they can and to register with Smartraveller. There's an emergency portal open for Australians in Iran and Israel, for citizens, permanent residents and family who already have the right of entry into Australia. Australia has no role in this conflict, and it's up to the combatants to explain how their actions comply with international law. (Time expired)

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