Australia risks losing international reputation over Afghanistan crisis, says western Sydney MP

A senior figure has lashed Australia, saying it risks losing its reputation in a rant where he called out the government on the global stage.

Australia’s shadow minister for Industry and Innovation says the country risks losing its international reputation in a rant where he called out the government in a scathing rebuke.

Federal Labor MP Ed Husic, who represents Chifley in western Sydney, says he has been “inundated” with requests for help from Afghan families in crisis.

The shambolic difficulties experienced in Australia’s evacuation in Afghanistan have been revealed as both Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton provided a blunt reality of the difficulty facing both foreigners and Afghans.

It comes as the UNHCR office in Canberra says it has also “been receiving numerous calls from alarmed individuals with friends or family trapped in Kabul and other parts of Afghanistan”.

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Ed Husic in Canberra. Picture: Gary Ramage

On Wednesday, Mr Dutton claimed some Afghans who had worked with Australian troops had switched their allegiance to the Taliban and that it was proving difficult for Australian officials to prove their identity.

He confirmed he rejected some people because of fear they may carry out a terrorist attack in Australia.

“It’s the reality we’re dealing with,” he said, without revealing specific numbers.

On Afternoon Briefing yesterday, Mr Husic called the claims from the government “excuses”, including the fact the Taliban’s swift takeover caught world leaders by surprise.

“Every one knew that there was an issue,” he said.

“A lot of people based in western Sydney, in the electorate I represent, I’ve been inundated in the last few days with hundreds of emails from people saying, ‘please assist’.”

Mr Husic argued Australia could receive a larger capacity of refugees, and said there “is room to move”.

Currently, Australia is offering 3000 spots on its humanitarian visa program for those from Afghanistan but that numbers comes from the already existing number of humanitarian visas, which stands at 13,750. That number also decreased from 18,750 last budget.

Thank you to Afghan-Australian community leaders across the country who joined our urgent community update with Prime Minister @ScottMorrisonMP today. We know this is a heart breaking time for you and your families and the Afghan community globally. pic.twitter.com/c8uBhhXdLe

— Alex Hawke MP (@AlexHawkeMP) August 19, 2021

Immigration minister Alex Hawke said the 3000 places will specifically focus on family members of Australians, persecuted minorities such as women and girls, children, the Hazara and other vulnerable groups.

Mr Hawke said the government “anticipates this initial allocation will increase”, but community groups and leaders are calling for more.

“From a personal perspective, it’s hugely frustrating that we’ve had this reluctance by the government to take this issue, particularly saving interpreters, seriously,” Mr Husic told Patricia Karvelas.

Additional flights are providing hope however, but Afghan translators who worked with Australian troops have called for government escorts to help transfer them safely to the plane.

Mr Morrison revealed the flight to Kabul enabled the “transfer” in key personnel from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Home Affairs and Defence to facilitate the evacuation but recent reports of Australians being blocked by the Taliban are worrying officials.

“I think we run the risk on the international stage of being projected as the, ‘what’s in it for me country’, where we go in as we did in Afghanistan, we call on people to support our efforts on the ground, they will help us, but we wont help them,” Mr Husic argued.

“I get that foreign policy should reflect national interest but can it not be so brazen and can we deliver or generate some good faith in the countries that we’ve been in or on the world stage that when people are in such a difficult situation, we won’t hesitate, we’ll help those that helped us willingly.”

People disembark off a Royal Air Force Boeing C-17A Globemaster III military transport aircraft carrying evacuees from Afghanistan. Picture: Giuseppe Cacace

The British flight landed at Al-Maktoum International Airport in the United Arab Emirates on August 19. Picture: Giuseppe Cacace

Mr Hawke claimed Australia’s track record stands as one of the most “generous humanitarian resettlement countries in the world”, but the UNHCR’s Adrian Edwards said more needed to be done.

“Look at the scenes on the runway at Kabul airport,” said Mr Edwards, UNHCR’s Regional Representative in Canberra.

“No one chooses to become a refugee, they become a refugee when all else is lost and lives are on the line.

“Now is the moment to recognise the deep anxiety among those Afghans here with international protection needs, many fearing for their loved ones, and who feel they have more uncertainty over their future than ever.”