The Greens stand in solidarity with the Kurdish community in Australia and across the world

Today in Parliament, Abigail gave notice of a motion in solidarity with Kurdish communities in Australia and across the world who are affected by the ongoing atrocities in Syria.

Abigail said:

I give notice that on the next sitting day I will move:

(1) That this House acknowledges the distress and fear being felt by many in the Kurdish-Australian community at the humanitarian crisis, brutal repression and violent attacks targeted at Kurdish civilians in Syria.

(2) That this House notes that:

on 6 January 2026, the Syrian Arab Army launched a military campaign of indiscriminate attacks targeting the predominantly Kurdish neighbourhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh in Aleppo, Rojava;
according to the Federation of Democratic Kurdish Society-Australia, the ceasefire announced on 20 January, which was initially declared for four days and subsequently extended for an additional fifteen, does not represent a pathway to peace but rather a tactic to consolidate the territorial and political gains of the campaign to dismantle the Kurdish political existence;
previous ceasefire periods have been categorised by repeated and systematic violations of ceasefire terms by the Syrian government, often exploited to remove international observers and reinforce military positions on the ground;
Kurdish civilians in Rojava have for weeks been subject to horrific widespread violence, displacement and arbitrary detention by the Syrian government and allied armed militias, with civilians, human rights advocates and Kurdish diasporas across the world calling on the international community to urgently step in to prevent the instigation of a new war, and to defend the legitimate rights of the Kurdish people to self-govern and live in peace;
the city of Kobane has been under siege for weeks, with essential services collapsing and civilians cut off from accessing food, water, electricity, fuel, medical supplies and communication;
humanitarian aid organisations from inside Kobane have reported that at least six children have died in Kobane in the last week from cold exposure, lack of medicine and fuel, and one infant dying from lack of oxygen in a hospital;
the violence being inflicted on Kurds in Syria is connected to a broader campaign to dismantle the Kurdish peoples’ ongoing struggle for self-determination, justice, peace and liberation, and an attempt to further stifle and derail prospects of a peaceful solution that recognises the existence and legitimate rights of Kurds in the region; and
the world has a moral obligation to defend the legitimate rights of Kurdish people from expansionist attacks by repressive regimes, and hold those responsible for committing human rights atrocities to account.

(3) That this House stands in solidarity with Kurdish people in Australia, and Kurds across the world, who are affected by the atrocities in Syria and expresses its sincere condolences to all those who have lost loved ones to the ongoing violence.

(4) That this House calls on the Australian government to:

advocate for an internationally monitored protection line to be urgently established, to oversee ceasefire arrangements and document violations and abuses in real time;
advocate for the full restoration and protection of uninterrupted delivery of food, water, electricity, medical supplies, fuel, communications and essential services for civilians in besieged areas, including Kobane;
in accordance with Australia’s international human rights obligations, advocate for the protection of civilians and the political and human rights of Kurds and all civilians in North and East Syria, and publicly acknowledge and condemn attacks on civilians, humanitarian workers and essential civilian infrastructure;
commit to constitutional recognition of Kurdish identity, language, self-defense and democratic self-governance;
increase Australian humanitarian assistance for civilians who have been displaced in North and East Syria; and
strengthen support for Syrian refugees and conflict-affected civilians in Australia through humanitarian visas and access to trauma-informed services.

3 February 2026

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No matter who you are or what you do, everyone has the right to share in the wellbeing of our country.

But at the moment the essentials so many of us need – a place to call home, food on the table, and everyday essentials like electricity, internet, medicine and water – are simply out of reach.

Instead of supporting us, our government is choosing to prop up huge corporations with massive subsidies, and to give away our collective wealth through record tax cuts for the wealthy. Meanwhile, the rest of us are left to live paycheck to paycheck or trapped in the dehumanising bureaucracy of our existing welfare system.

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It’s time for us to choose to prioritise the wellbeing of everyone.

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It’s the amount you’re owed simply for being a participant in our society.

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It means you will always have what you need to live a good life, no matter what.

The Universal Wellbeing Payment is for everyone. Help us make it happen.

For more information, head to universalwellbeingpayment.com.au

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The Greens stand in solidarity with the Kurdish community in Australia and across the world

A UNIVERSAL WELLBEING PAYMENT FOR NSW

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