Wednesday, 14 May 2025

Statements on tabled papers and petitions

Department of the Legislative Council

Report 2023–24

Michael GALEA (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (17:02): I rise to speak on the annual report of the Department of the Legislative Council, which amongst many things covers the various activities that we as parliamentarians take part in, such as parliamentary friendship groups. One such group that I am very proud to be a part of is the Parliamentary Friends of Ukraine. Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to visit Ukraine to see firsthand the impacts of Russia’s illegal war and to convey my support and that of our Premier. One of the first things that I saw in the city of Kyiv was a visit to an apartment block just a few minutes out from the city centre in an ordinary suburban neighbourhood. Four days beforehand this apartment block had been hit with a drone. Thirteen people were killed and 90 were injured. This was an ordinary apartment block in an ordinary suburb, with peak hour traffic going nearby and a Macca’s serving drive-through coffee around the corner. To see the impact of this destruction was simply harrowing – on ordinary people just trying to live their lives.

I had the opportunity to visit many zones which were occupied temporarily by the Russians at the outbreak of the full-scale invasion, including Irpin, Bucha, Hostomel and Borodyanka, where civilians were tortured, raped and killed, often killed for sport. I got to visit the Romaniv bridge in Irpin, where I met with the mayor. This is the bridge that was blown up by Ukraine and played a major role in stopping the Russian advance. The citizens of this city have rightly been dubbed citizens of the city of heroes.

It was remarkable to see that the reconstruction efforts are not some theoretical, future thing, they are well advanced. In some cities where 70 per cent of buildings had been significantly damaged or destroyed, driving through some streets you would not know it, which is a testament to the resilience of the Ukrainian people.

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to meet with many MPs, ministers and other officials, including with the minister responsible for de-mining the vast swathes of the country that have been illegally landmined by Russia. I will take this opportunity to note the very sad loss of an Australian who put himself in harm’s way and was killed for it just a few days ago. I had the opportunity to meet with people who were tortured as prisoners of war, including a remarkable woman, Yuliia Paievska, better known as Taira, who was responsible for getting the last footage out of Mariupol through her body cam. She was working there as a medic treating Ukrainians and Russians. After she got the footage out she was captured and tortured for three months. She required spinal surgery to recover. I got to meet with non-profits and organisations working to bring the tens of thousands of children home who have been illegally abducted and fostered out to Russia. On one night I had to shelter in an air raid shelter – a very, very small sacrifice compared to the days, months and years of sheltering that Ukrainians have had to do.

Russia is waging a campaign of terror on the Ukrainian people in the cruellest way possible. They have abducted children, sent air strikes into cities while people sleep and tortured prisoners of war in open defiance of the Geneva Convention. It is not just a land grab, it is an attempt to systematically destroy the Ukrainian people and their culture. It is pure multifaceted evil, but they will fail. It is more important than ever that we are all aware of the situation in Ukraine and doing what we can to support it and to partner with it. I would like to thank the many people who generously gave their time to meet with me. I would also like to thank ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko; the parliamentary friendship group, including Lee Tarlamis; Eugene Hawryszko and Ashley Awramenko from the Association of Ukrainians in Victoria; Teresa Lachowicz from the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations; the Dobosh family in Lviv; Kosta Yaramenko; Vika Stegnii; and most especially Chrestyna Kmetj and Julian Knysh. The situation in Ukraine is rapidly evolving and remains uncertain. I dearly wish for a resolution to this war that delivers peace and that delivers justice to all of Ukraine. Slava Ukraini.