World Refugee Day
[6.28 p.m.]
Ms BURNET (Clark) - Honourable Speaker, this coming Sunday marks World Refugee Day. In his book, Bhutan to Blacktown, Bhutanese Nepali refugee Om Dhungel observed that the two things that every refugee wanted when coming to Australia were to learn to speak English and to learn to drive. Families from around the world settle in Tasmania every year, helped by dedicated groups like the Migrant Resource Centre, the Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Pilot (CRISP) and others, who work tirelessly to provide shelter, food assistance, finding work and helping integrate people into the community.
The Migrant Resource Centre runs a driver mentor program where dedicated volunteers mentor new drivers over the 80 hours required to get a Tasmanian driving licence. Two learners involved in the program are Afghan refugee sisters, Najmay and Kaiva [TBC]. Both are part of a family of six children and their mother who arrived in Australia in 2022. They are part of the heavily persecuted Hazara minority in Afghanistan, historically targeted for their ethnicity and faith as Shia Muslims. Najmay passed her test first time with a perfect score, a rare achievement. The other older children attend TAFE classes to learn English, while the younger ones attend local schools. Najmay wants to become a dentist, though she knows it's going to take a long time. She laughs since passing her test because she's become the family taxi driver, now able to ferry family members to appointments, shopping for a family of seven, and getting her younger siblings to school.
The program constantly seeks new mentors, especially women who give up their own time to arrange driving lessons, often doubling this up with improving spoken English. For the mentors, it's a rewarding experience to learn about those places refugees come from, why they had to leave their home and what their hopes and dreams are as new Australians once they are eligible to become citizens.
The theme of A Million Stories for Refugee Week marks a significant milestone. Since 1947, Australia has issued one million permanent humanitarian visas. But more than just a milestone, this theme serves as a vital reminder. Too often, refugees are reduced to statistics, weaponised as political talking points, and demonised in the media. A Million Stories reminds us that behind every statistic is a human being and every refugee journey is a personal story of survival, resilience, and hope.
One of those stories has grabbed the world's attention this week. Nestory Irankunda, the 20‑year‑old Socceroo, who became the team's youngest‑ever scorer a few days ago. Fantastic. Born in a refugee camp in Tanzania, Irankunda's family, having fled civil war, settled in Adelaide when he was a young child. While Australia has welcomed refugees over many generations, there is currently a global push to blame migrants and refugees for domestic issues. This occurs on Australian shores. We're seeing this here: the rising anti‑migrant sentiment, racism, and violence. We must not allow some of the most vulnerable people in society who have so much to give to become scapegoats for policy failures. It is the beautiful game that can help unite us. Irankuda's goal is something the whole nation celebrates.
This Refugee Week comes at a time of unprecedented and worsening resource scarcity, escalating conflict, and a compounding climate crisis. Millions of people each year make the incredibly painful decision to leave their homelands. They do so not by choice but out of a fundamental human need for safety, security, shelter, and a future for their children. Ensuring they have a place here with supportive agencies and that Tasmanian generosity make all of our lives richer.