Wednesday, 1 April 2026

 Nicole WERNER (Warrandyte) (10:45): I rise today to wish the Iranian community a very happy Nowruz Pirouz. Nowruz marks the triumph of light over darkness, renewal, hope and a promise of a better future. This year, this meaning carries even greater weight as brave Iranians continue to stand against oppression and fight for freedom. The electorate of Warrandyte is home to one of the largest Iranian communities in Australia, and it is a community defined by resilience, work ethic and a deep belief in freedom. We know that Iranian Australians have unfortunately faced intimidation, threats and harassment linked to the regime they fled here in Australia. Recently in Doncaster East a local business was targeted. Shahrzad Shirkhanzadeh’s restaurant in my electorate was vandalised, with flags torn down and windows smashed. On the same night her father’s car was attacked and he was told ‘Go back to your country’ because they dared to speak out against the ayatollah’s regime. Shahrzad said, ‘We did not come to Australia to live in fear again.’ That should stop every one of us in our tracks, because if people who have fled oppression cannot speak freely here, then something has gone very wrong. We stand with Shahrzad, we stand with those who speak out and we continue to stand with the courageous Iranian community here in Australia.