By Raquel Mustillo
MEMBER for MacKillop Nick McBride has called on the Federal Government to urgently evacuate Afghan residents at heightened risk of persecution of the Taliban, with an emphasis on families of Afghans who have settled in the electorate.
The Liberal MP said the 500 Afghan residents living in MacKillop, primarily in Naracoorte and Bordertown, were frightened and anxious about the fate of their families, many of whom remain trapped in Afghanistan.
Mr McBride told parliament of an Afghan constituent who arrived in Australia eight years ago via illegal channels was not eligible to bring his Afghanistan-based wife to Australia.
“He pays Australian taxes, owns a business, employs locals and supports the community in many ways,” Mr McBride said.
“This person needs our support and assistance and a path where his family has a future in this country.”
Mr McBride of the hundreds of Afghanistan migrants living in MacKillop, 65 are awaiting temporary protection visas but said “it is going to be enormously difficult because of the sovereign borders policy”.
“85 are awaiting Australian citizenship and around 70 of those are awaiting for their family members to be granted visas to come to Australia,” he said.
“The process isn’t an easy one, there have been long delays in processing applications with many people waiting years, and still waiting.”
Mr McBride welcomed the Federal Government’s commitment for 3000 additional humanitarian places, but urged the government to act quickly and efficiently to evacuate those at heightened risk of persecution from the Taliban.
“I also urge the Federal Government to help get the families of those Afghans who have settled here in Australia, those in my electorate of MacKillop, a safe passage out of Afghanistan,” he said.
“Compassion is needed and these are the wives, children, mothers and fathers of Afghan migrants in Australia.”
Mr McBride joined Naracoorte Lucindale mayor Erika Vickery in appealing to the Federal Government to increase the intake of Afghan migrants to Australia.
“I have written a letter to the Immigration Minister Alex Hawke thanking the Federal Government for getting some of the people out, but appealing for more people to come in,” she said.
“Hazara migrants have been in Naracoorte now for nearly 20 years and they first came because there was work, particularly seasonal work in the vineyards and the meat works.
“Since then, they have really become part of the community and are contributing in a large way by establishing their own businesses, participating in sport and there’s a good cohort of children in the kindergarten, Naracoorte South Primary School and Naracoorte High School.
“Naracoorte has really embraced the migrants and they are contributing to our town.”
Ms Vickery said more than 60 community members attended a vigil co-ordinated by the Australian Migrant Resource Centre and the Limestone Coast Multicultural Network in Naracoorte over the weekend to show support and solidarity for the Afghan community.
“We heard from the speakers about what is happening and what will happen with the women and it was so upsetting,” she said.
“All their dreams are being shattered.
“We wanted to show that the community is behind them and we are reaching out our arms because we care for them very much.
“They are a part of us and part of our family.”
Australian Migrant Resource Centre chief executive Eugenia Tsoulis said she was meeting with Afghani leaders in the Limestone Coast this week to strategise about how to communicate with the Federal Government.
“We are hoping that the government will bring the families of the Afghan migrants who are already here, because they are easier to bring here in terms of the economy and having someone here to look after them,” she said.
“We don’t know who is eligible to bring their families here because it is at the hands of immigration.
“It’s a crisis, everyone is in shock and is absolutely confused and devastated as to what has happened.
“We need to be able to support, counsel and help our Afghan communities through this crisis.”
