Jerome Laxale (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Tonight the Matildas play Iran at the AFC Women's Asian Cup. Whilst I will be wholeheartedly supporting the Aussies to get the win, I would like to use this time in this House to acknowledge the Iranian women's football team. They're known as Shirzanan—the Iranian Lionesses—a fitting name for these women who exhibit strength and resilience. Sport has long been a powerful platform for courage, dignity and freedom. Yet, for many athletes around the world, it brings immense pressure and personal risk. This is particularly true for the Lionesses. The regime that governs Iran today is an inhumane dictatorship that systematically denies women basic freedoms, from how they dress to how they speak and how they participate in public life. Around the world we have witnessed the courage of Iranian women who continue to demand equal rights for women, life and freedom.

I see these footballers not as representatives of that regime but as symbols of the history of strong Iranian women, their values and their resilience. From Doncaster in the seat of Menzies to Ryde in the seat of Bennelong, no matter the result tonight I'm sure Iranian Australians will be beaming with pride. Football is the only true world game. Australia is proud to host this tournament and, at this pivotal point in history, we welcome the Lionesses and host them with the dignity and respect they deserve.