CANBERRA: In a statement presented to the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU), on the occasion of the 110th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the Family First political party has issued a powerful statement adopting a party policy on the Armenian Genocide that calls on the Australian federal government to recognise the Armenian Genocide.
Family First has joined the Australian Greens as the second political party contesting the 2025 Federal Election with an official policy supporting recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
Family First is standing 100 candidates in the upcoming Federal Election held on 3 May 2025 as well as Senate candidates in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia.
The statement which was published on National Director, Lyle Shelton’s social media platforms said, “The genocide began under the cover of the Gallipoli campaign and Australian PoWs were among the first-hand witnesses to the mass killing of some 2.5 million Christians.”
It went on to say, “If elected, Family First Senators will push for Australian government recognition of the genocide.”
The Joint Justice Initiative, comprised of the peak public affairs bodies of the Armenian-Australian, Assyrian-Australian and Greek-Australian communities - the Armenian National Committee of Australia, Assyrian National Council Australia and the Australian Hellenic Council has welcomed the adoption of a party policy by Family First.
Armenian National Committee of Australia Executive Director Michael Kolokossian said, "While the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition continue to dance around recognition with graduating euphemisms, Family First has chosen to call it what it is – genocide.”
"Family First’s policy shows that emerging grassroots political movements are stepping up where many in the political mainstream have failed. Their growing presence across electorates and in the Senate race gives hope to our community that truth and justice will no longer be sidelined for diplomatic convenience," Kolokossian added.
