SYDNEY: Australia’s Federal Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, the Honourable Mr. Joe Hockey reaffirmed his commitment to advocate for recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Federal Government of Australia, during a meeting with the Armenian National Committee of Australia last week. Mr. Hockey declared: “My support for Armenian Genocide recognition is unwavering.†ANC Australia President, Mr. Varant Meguerditchian welcomed the Minister’s reaffirmation and leadership on this important issue, stating: “Affirmation of the Armenian Genocide is a fundamental step toward ensuring that similar crimes are not repeated.†As the Federal Member for North Sydney, Mr. Hockey has been a longstanding supporter of the Armenian community and Armenian Genocide recognition. His recent comments follow a 2005 visit to the Republic of Armenia where he laid a wreath at the ‘Tzitzernagapert’ Genocide Memorial Monument in memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide. Considered to be the first genocide of the twentieth century by historians and academics, the systematic slaughter of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1923 by the Ottoman Government has been recognised by prominent legislative bodies; among these are the governments of Germany, Canada, France, Russia, Argentina, the Netherlands and Belgium. In 1997, the Parliament of NSW became the first legislative body in Australia to recognise and condemn the genocide of the Armenians.
