Fatima Payman (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

PAYMAN () (): I note this is not my first speech. I rise as an Australian Afghan to express my support for the motion commemorating the one-year anniversary of a sad day, 15 August, the day when Kabul fell to the Taliban yet again. A nation has been torn by war, destroyed over decades of conflict and left in a state of destitution. A land is prominently rich in natural resources such as lithium, iron, zinc and copper, yet the economy remains depleted. The country was a busy section of the famous Silk Road, a route that merchants have travelled for over 2000 years from China, India and Europe. This is the reason Afghanistan earned the title 'crossroads of cultures', with a population of 35 million people, 34 provinces and a range of diverse languages spoken, from Dari and Pashto to Uzbek, Hazaragi, Baluchi, Pashayi and Nurestani, just to name a few.

During the last year we have seen the deterioration of human rights and the growing humanitarian crisis, leaving thousands in poverty and resulting in ongoing problems with security and governance. We have seen schools shut down for girls. According to a recent UN report:

Women and girls in particular have been subjected to severe restrictions on their human rights, resulting in their exclusion from most aspects of everyday and public life.

Unemployment has increased dramatically, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee to neighbouring countries, but millions of Afghans remain stranded, with no hope in sight of a future for themselves or their families. We are still hearing reports of the Taliban persecuting and torturing members of the previous government, while thousands of people from different ethnic groups whose opinions were against the Taliban have been killed and labelled as ISIS. We cannot let Afghanistan become a breeding ground for terrorism and extremism.

We find ourselves here today marking one year on from the fall of Kabul, and I want to extend my deepest condolences and prayers to the people of Afghanistan and the diaspora communities across Australia, who are suffering and in pain and feeling the trauma. I too have family back in Afghanistan and receive daily news of the atrocities and injustices that take place, while their lives remain in danger and their children remain stranded at home, with no access to education or any prospect of a sustainable future. It is heartbreaking, and my sincerest thoughts go out to everyone with family and friends in Afghanistan going through this ongoing devastation and to the veterans and their loved ones scarred by the pain and trauma. I wish upon you healing and closure.

I have come to understand that in the plight of these challenges, unity is so important. There is no such thing as a minority group in Afghanistan bearing the brunt of the atrocities and destruction alone. Whether you identify as Tajik, Uzbek, Pashtun or Hazara you are experiencing the same pain and heartache as millions of people in Afghanistan and abroad. I am aware of the unspoken division that exists among the ethnicities within the Afghan diaspora here in Australia. At times like this your unity is needed more than ever. Bond over your identities as Australians first, then as Muslims and then as Afghans. There is no need to ostracise, criticise or have animosity towards one another because of what history had determined.

History teaches us many lessons and the people to pay tribute to, so I would like to take a moment and acknowledge the brave contribution and sacrifices made by more than 39,000 Australian Defence Force and civilian personnel, who supported operations in Afghanistan for over 20 years. Australia contributed in capacity building, counterterrorism, counterinsurgency and national security. We remember the 41 Australian soldiers who died during operations and will never forget their ultimate sacrifice. The fall of Kabul led to one of Australia's largest humanitarian evacuations and, over a nine-day period, around 4,100 people were evacuated on 32 fights. The work to ensure safe departures from Afghanistan continues.

The Albanese government is committed to standing by those who helped Australia, including by supporting former locally engaged employees to apply for visas and resettle in Australia. The government is considering its response to recommendations from the Senate inquiry into Australia's engagement in Afghanistan. Australia is working with the international community to respond to the humanitarian crisis and has committed $141 million to ensure that help reaches those most in need, whether it be emergency medical supplies, food supplies or simply a safe place to get some rest. Australia will also offer 31,500 places to Afghan nationals under the humanitarian program and the family stream of the migration program over the next four years. We understand the urgency and nature of this crisis, and we in Australia are doing our best.

I now want to talk about something that has made this devastating crisis in Afghanistan even more heartbreaking for those impacted and for those like me who are from Afghanistan and now calling Australia home. We know that the former Liberal-National government were responsible for countless scandals and cuts to our public institutions, and one of the most disgraceful examples of this is the broken system of visa and citizenship processing. They destroyed that system bit by bit, firing thousands of staff over their decade in power, and it has caused human misery and economic pain. The economic pain is obvious now, with small businesses, the health system and the education sector crying out for visas to be processed, while the delays mean other countries who haven't destroyed their own visa systems race ahead.

All of this is obvious, and we saw some progress made at the Jobs and Skills Summit last weekend, which is amazing. But I want to focus on the human element, often forgotten but just as important. Every day my office hears from those with loved ones trying to flee the Taliban or from those who have been hunted down. I cannot describe the insurmountable pain and misery we hear about day after day, and, while we should not lay the blame at the feet of the former government, it is true that countless visas for those trying to flee the Taliban did not get processed in time because the system had been so thoroughly destroyed. It is now our responsibility to fix this. It will take time to fix the 10 years of destruction, but we will and I will keep speaking up.

I'm heartened by the work already begun and that the minister has confirmed processing the visa backlog is an urgent priority. There is also important work to be done in our platform, like giving genuine refugees permanent protection in this country and moving them off the cruel temporary protection visa scheme. The Labor government will fix things. It will take time, but it will happen. It is easy to break things, and the former government took pride in destroying the system and so have caused immeasurable pain for countless families. Just like with a house destroyed by a natural disaster, it can happen instantly, but the rebuilding can take months. This is what we are facing right now, trying to repair the visa system. Like I said, it will take time to clear the backlog, but we have started the work and are committed to seeing this through. Thank you.