CANBERRA: Senator Hollie Hughes, who represents New South Wales in the Federal Upper House, has signed an Affirmation of Support backing the Joint Justice Initiative of the Armenian-Australian, Assyrian-Australian and Greek-Australian communities, which calls for Australian recognition of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides.

The February 2020 launch of the Joint Justice Initiative at Australia's Parliament House featured the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU), Assyrian Universal Alliance (AUA) and Australian Hellenic Council (AHC), which declares Australia's recognition of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides as a priority on behalf of their communities.

Hughes, who founded the Country Autism Network, was elected to the Senate in 2019 after a career as a respected adviser to Federal parliamentarians.

A former member of the State Executive of the Liberal Party of Australia and Country Vice-President of the State Party, Hughes has a reputation as a passionate advocate for rural and regional New South Wales, leading campaigns for better transport and health services for the bush.

"The Armenian-Australian, Assyrian-Australia and Greek-Australian communities are fortunate to be able to count a career advocate in Senator Hollie Hughes among our supporters for national recognition of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides, which was committed by the Ottoman Empire during World War I," said Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU) Executive Director, Haig Kayserian.

"Senator Hughes joins a growing list of supporters to right what is a wrong position of appeasing the Turkish State's denial of Genocide." 

The Joint Justice Initiative has so far announced the support of Hughes, Senator Rex Patrick, Mike Freelander MP, Senator Eric Abetz, Senator Larissa Waters, Senator Pat Dodson, Jason Falinski MP, Josh Burns MP, John Alexander MP, Senator Andrew Bragg and Bob Katter MP, with a promise of more announcements to come.

On 25th February 2020, over 100 Federal Australian parliamentarians, diplomats, departmental officials, political staffers, academics, media and community leaders were treated to cultural performances, food, wine and brandy, as well as the historic signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, which affirmed that the signatory public affairs representatives of the three communities were jointly committed to seeing Australia recognise the Turkish-committed Genocide against the Armenian, Greek and Assyrian citizens of the Ottoman Empire during World War I.



More information here.