CANBERRA: Senator for Western Australia, Rachel Siewert has joined the Joint Justice Initiative and pledged to recognise the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides.
Senator Siewert signed an affirmation of support for the Joint Justice Initiative, which calls for Federal Australian recognition of the genocides of 1915.
The February 2020 launch of the Joint Justice Initiative at Australia's Parliament House featured the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU), Assyrian National Council – Australia (ANC) and Australian Hellenic Council (AHC), which declares Australia's recognition of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides as a priority on behalf of their communities.
A long standing Perth resident, Senator Siewert is the Whip of The Australian Greens and Chair of the Senate Community Affairs References Committee.
Haig Kayserian, Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU), said that the Joint Justice Initiative is extremely proud to have another federal parliamentarian on board.
“On behalf of the Armenian-Australian, Greek-Australian and Assyrian-Australian communities, we thank Senator Siewert for her support,” Kayserian said.
The Joint Justice Initiative has so far announced the support of Siewert, Susan Templeman MP, Adam Bandt MP, Tim Wilson MP, Senator Janet Rice, Steve Georganas MP, Michael Sukkar MP, Senator Louise Pratt, Warren Entsch, Joel Fitzgibbon MP, Andrew Wilkie MP, Julian Leeser MP, Michelle Rowland MP, Senator Paul Scarr, Tony Zappia MP, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, Senator Hollie Hughes, Senator Rex Patrick, Mike Freelander MP, Senator Eric Abetz, Senator Larissa Waters, Senator Pat Dodson, Jason Falinski MP, Josh Burns MP, John Alexander MP, Senator Andrew Bragg and Bob Katter MP with a promise of more announcements to come.
On 25th February 2020, over 100 Federal Australian parliamentarians, diplomats, departmental officials, political staffers, academics, media and community leaders were treated to cultural performances, food, wine and brandy, as well as the historic signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, which affirmed that the signatory public affairs representatives of the three communities were jointly committed to seeing Australia recognise the Turkish-committed Genocides against the Armenian, Greek and Assyrian citizens of the Ottoman Empire during World War I.
