Queensland pledges to accept its fair share of Syrian refugees

Queensland has agreed to accept its fair share of the refugees who will be arriving in Australia soon after former Prime Minister Tony Abbott opened the doors to 12,000 extra Syrian refugees. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Queensland would be more than happy to resettle the refugees, but it is still unknown how many that would be.

After Abbott gave the approval to increase the quota of Australia’s humanitarian intake to 12,000, different communities across the country have come forward to help the government resettle the refugees. But according to government sources, it is not at the disposal of the states to decide how many refugees they would take in. It will instead be decided by the federal government.

Discussions on how and where to settle the incoming refugees have already begun with Commonwealth officials. During a parliamentary sitting on Tuesday, Palaszczuk observed a moment of silence to pay tribute to the little Syrian boy, Aylan Kurdi, who was found dead on a Turkey beach. She said he is one of the major reasons why Queensland has opened its doors to the refugees.

"His tiny sneakers, still on his feet, are perhaps the most unbelievable reminder that this is a little boy who stood no chance when he was washed overboard trying to flee his war-ravaged country for a better life," she said. "Like all Queenslanders, like all Australians, like all people around the world, I was deeply saddened and deeply affected by the image. But, importantly, it drove us to action. Queensland stands proud and prepared to accept as many Syrian refugees as we are able to cope with now that the federal government has formally announced 12,000 refugees from the region will be resettled in Australia.”

She also praised the federal government for its move and pledged to stand united with all the other states in a joint effort to resettle 12,000 refugees.

Three young refugees who were given asylum in the Southwest Brisbane have called on the government to allow more Syrian refugees, they told Quest. These three young men, Daniel Nyirenda, Eddy Marley and Bismillah Haidari, who are now studying at the University of Southern Queensland, are now safe and miles away from the war-torn country they were born in.

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