STATEMENTS BY SENATORS

Senator THORPE (Victoria—Independent VIC Whip) (13:48): I recently heard from members of the Kurdish community about the persecution and violence Kurdish people are facing in Iran and elsewhere. They spoke about the need for the world to pay attention to families living with displacement, surveillance and fear and the suppression of Kurdish language and culture.

They told me about two brothers, activists who helped establish a library and programs for teaching Kurdish language. They took part in protests against the regime and faced persecution from security forces, so they went into hiding. In May this year, they were killed when IRGC forces surrounded their house and opened fire.

Their families are now facing ongoing surveillance and financial hardship. We can't ignore the wider context. The illegal US and Israeli war against Iran, backed by the Albanese government, has brought further death, displacement and instability.

It's given the Iranian regime cover to intensify its own repression, persecuting protesters, minorities and those who stand against the regime. This country has a responsibility to people seeking safety. Successive Labor and Liberal governments have enacted cruel, failed asylum policies, harming many, including Kurdish people, by funnelling them into brutal offshore detention.

I've raised with Minister Burke the need for clearer humanitarian pathways for people facing persecution and fleeing danger, including the Kurdish people. As First Peoples, we know why culture, language and self-determination matter. I stand with all peoples who continue to fight for freedom, dignity and the right to live without fear.