Page 2345 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 16 June 2009
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Today it is my pleasure to rise to commemorate 2009 and World Refugee Day, which will be celebrated on Saturday, 20 June. Every year across the world countries, communities and individuals pause to celebrate this day. It was in 2001 that the United Nations General Assembly established 20 June as World Refugee Day, a day on which we acknowledge the indomitable spirit and courage of the world’s refugees.
In the year 2007-08, the United Nations estimated that there were 16 million refugees, people forced to flee religious, racial, linguistic, ethnic and political persecution. Madam Assistant Speaker, before I go on, can I apologise for the format of the statement that has been distributed to members and provide an explanation for the change. The original, which was to be circulated, in fact did not contain the correct title of individuals about to be named in it. For example, some people had Orders of Australia and that was not recognised in the text. I wished to make that correction. We needed to get that done for the chamber in a bit of a hurry, so I seek the chamber’s indulgence for the change in format.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution. It was this principle of human rights that formed the basis of the 1951 convention relating to the status of refugees and the subsequent 1967 protocol of which Australia was a signatory.
As we are all aware, the ACT is a jurisdiction in which human rights underpin our way of life. The recognition in law of human rights in our jurisdiction means that the inherent dignity of a person is recognised and valued. In our community, discrimination is not acceptable. Furthermore, the Human Rights Act 2004 upholds the rights of minorities. Anyone who belongs to an ethnic, religious or linguistic minority must not be denied the right with other members of the minority to enjoy his or her culture and to declare and practise his or her religion or to use his or her language.
The ACT government acknowledges the vast diversity of talent, achievement and experience of refugees, asylum seekers, newly arrived migrants, second and third generation members of cultural groups and other humanitarian entrants. Indeed, the list of Australians who were former refugees includes some absolute stars. Examples include Tan Le, the 1998 Young Australian of the Year; Sir Gustav Nossal AC, CBE, the prominent scientist and humanitarian; eminent portrait painter, Judy Cassab AO, who also fled Nazi persecution; A-list comedian Anh Do and his brother Khoa Do, who was Young Australian of the Year in 2005; and the former head of SBS Radio, Quang Luu AO.
As for the ACT, there are a number of former refugees who have carved out wonderful contributions to our society, including Tu Pham, the ACT Auditor-General, and I would ask members to note that correction in their draft; Seya Rangsi, proprietor of the hugely successful Dickson Asian Noodle House; and Goy Leek, chair of the Sudanese Australian National Youth Council.
This foundation of human rights makes the ACT a welcoming sanctuary for asylum seekers, refugees and other humanitarian entrants from countries across the world. In May 2009, approximately 30 humanitarian entrants arrived in Canberra from
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