Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak on two very important issues for my electorate of Newcastle. Firstly, I want to celebrate Newcastle Pride. Newcastle Pride Fair Day was back bigger and better than ever, after a COVID hiatus, and I was thrilled to help launch the fair day, alongside my state colleague the state member for Newcastle, Tim Crakanthorp MP. Pride Fair Day formed part of a huge program of Newcastle Pride week events. Newcastle is a supportive community, we are an accepting community and we are a rainbow community because we are a proud community. I want to give a special shout-out to Lee-Ann and the whole Newcastle Pride committee, as well as the outstanding volunteers who do so much to unite us and celebrate diversity in our great city. They made the day and the whole Newcastle Pride week inclusive, colourful and, most importantly, safe for all. In Newcastle, regardless of who you are or where you came from, what sexual orientation or gender you identify as, you are loved and you are celebrated.

Secondly, I want to address the ongoing turmoil in Iran. This is an issue that is profoundly impacting on so many people throughout the world. Many of my constituents in Newcastle have reached out to me to share their concerns and their personal stories. Over the past few months, the Newcastle Iranian community has come together, supported by the wider Newcastle community, to express their horror, outrage and grief over the events in Iran. For many, this is deeply personal, with family and friends still residing in Iran. I want to take this opportunity to assure my community that the Australian government stands in solidarity with the Iranian people, advocating for the rights of women, children and diverse communities. Our government has denounced the deadly and disproportionate use of force against protesters in Iran following the tragic death of Ms Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, whose Kurdish name was Jina. We respect the right of Iranian people to protest peacefully and we call on the Iranian authorities to exercise restraint in response to ongoing demonstrations. We stand with Iranian women and girls and their struggle for equality, empowerment and ending violence against women and girls. We continue to call on Iran to cease its oppression of women. We're also committed to the right of religious faiths as well as the LGBTIQ community to live safely and peacefully in Iran. No matter where you were born, who you are or what you believe in, you should have the right to live safely in this world.