Wednesday, 22 June 2022

 Dr KIEU (South Eastern Metropolitan) (09:51): This week, world Refugee Week, we celebrate the inspiring backstories and valued contribution of refugees to Australian society and to our history. Millions of people around the world are currently being deprived of basic human rights, employment and health care. This is why I am grateful, as a former refugee, for being accepted for settlement in Australia. I was lucky enough to have survived the journey; however, others were not so lucky. Now I am proud to be part of a state government that supports our refugee community in the south-east and across Victoria. This week we seek to amplify the voices of refugees and shine light on their harrowing experiences. Refugees bring with them a tireless commitment to rebuild their lives and support their families and express their gratitude and meaningfully contribute to the nation which accepted them. The unwavering determination, resilience and self-sacrifice of our refugee community is truly inspiring and should be acknowledged and appreciated.