CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS
Druze Community
As the federal member for Isaacs, I acknowledge the significant contribution that the Druze community makes to both my electorate and Australia more broadly. Isaacs is home to a large Druze community. Over the years, I've met many of them who have built their lives here over generations and who continue to contribute meaningfully to our civic, cultural and economic life. Since my election in 2007, I've developed strong relationships with members of the Druze community. I hold them in the highest regard and value the trust and friendship that many have extended to me.
Recent events in Syria have caused great distress to the Druze community. Reports of targeted violence in Sweida and Jaramana have affected families with deep ties to those areas. I want to acknowledge the very real concern and grief that members of the Druze community are feeling for the safety of their loved ones overseas.
The Australian government has expressed its concern about the ongoing conflict in Syria and the need to protect civilians. The Prime Minister and the Minister for Foreign Affairs have issued a statement condemning the violence in Syria and calling for restraint from all parties. That statement reaffirmed Australia's support for a political resolution that upholds human rights and respects the dignity of all communities, including the Druze.
Australia's longstanding commitment to humanitarian protection, religious freedom and peaceful coexistence applies to all people. This includes the right of minority communities to live free from violence, persecution and discrimination. Nations are shaped by different histories, but the obligation to prevent conflict and protect life is shared by all nations. It's not a task completed quickly or easily; it requires discipline and a willingness to listen, to stay engaged and to work through difficult moments. This is the foundation of international humanitarian law. It's how peace is built and how peace is sustained. Too often persecution, displacement and war have come at an immense human cost, with civilians and minority groups enduring the greatest suffering. The wilful harm of others is never an inevitable consequence of difference.
I know that many members of the Druze community have raised their concerns with the government. I have conveyed those concerns, including the need to pursue all available humanitarian and diplomatic channels to help protect civilians and uphold human rights. Australia is a stronger nation because of the contribution of our multicultural communities. As the federal member for Isaacs, I will continue to ensure that the voices of the Druze community are heard, their concerns respected and their calls for peace and safety acknowledged.
