Armenian National Committee of Australia
259 Penshurst Street, Willoughby NSW 2068
PO Box 768, Willoughby NSW 2068
T: (02) 9419 8264 | F: (02) 9411 8898
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BREAKING NEWS
ANC AUSTRALIA ADVOCACY WEEK
Ellison Discusses Armenian Genocide In Australian Senate
CANBERRA: Following meetings with the Armenian National Committee of
Australia (ANC Australia) in Canberra, Senator for Western Australia
Chris Ellison called on the national Senate to formally recognise the
Armenian Genocide.
In what is a major development, the Armenian Genocide has been
discussed in both houses of Australia’s Parliament within three
weeks. Senator Ellison’s remarks on 11 November follow the Hon. Joe
Hockey’s on 20 October, when he called for the Australian House of
Representatives to formally recognise the Armenian Genocide.
Senator Ellison told the Senate: `A number of senators and members
would no doubt have met representatives from the [Armenian] community
who visited the parliament this week… [and] …the issue of the
Armenian genocide in 1915 is a matter which weighs heavily with them.’
He added: `…this is a very important issue and one which needs to be
recognised by Australia.’
In addition, Senator Ellison brought to the attention of the Upper
House recently-uncovered information of Australia’s significant relief
effort aiding victims of the Armenian Genocide.
Senator Ellison said: `…what is important is Australia’s role, and
in fact there was a thing called the Armenian Relief Fund of
Australia, which operated from 1915 to 1929.
`This relief fund of Australia provided humanitarian assistance to
victims of the Armenian genocide. These relief efforts became known as
the first major international humanitarian project provided by
Australia and set a precedent for continued support for areas and
people in need throughout the world, and that is quite extraordinary
when one looks at the history…’
The Senator, who is also a member of the `Australia Armenia
Parliamentary Friendship Group’, urged his colleagues to `acknowledge
this as a matter of history’, because `bad things happen when good men
and women do nothing’.
ANC Australia President Mr. Varant Meguerditchian, who led a
delegation of colleagues along with visiting guest Raffi Hamparian of
ANC America, welcomed Senator Ellison’s advocacy and said it proves
his organisation’s inaugural Advocacy Week was delivering fruitful
results.
`ANC Australia Advocacy Week is all about educating legislators about
the reality of the Armenian Genocide and the importance of its
recognition internationally,’ he said.
`Senator Ellison’s statement in the Upper House is the start of what
we expect will be his integral involvement in our efforts to have
Australia recognise the Armenian Genocide.’