Meeting with Assistant Minister Hon Julian Hill

Meeting with Assistant Minister Hon Julian Hill, Harmony Day 2025

Mariia Shevchenko, Liaison Officer of UAANT, participated in an important meeting with Assistant Minister Hon Julian Hill and the Regional Director North at Melaleuca Australia. The meeting addressed key issues concerning Ukrainian and Lebanese refugees.

💬 Main topics discussed:

• Support for Ukrainian refugees and simplifying the transition to the humanitarian visa 786, 866 – Mariia emphasized the importance of granting Ukrainian refugees the right to permanent residency in Australia through the humanitarian visa.

• Assistance for Lebanese refugees – UAANT expressed readiness to support Lebanese refugees and explore ways to provide assistance to this community.

• Opening language and cultural schools for children – The discussion included creating schools to preserve Ukrainian culture and language among refugee children. The Minister confirmed that the government plans to allocate grants for establishing such schools.

This meeting was a significant step toward ensuring the rights and freedoms of Ukrainian refugees and strengthening cooperation with the Australian government to support cultural heritage and integration.

🌍 Representatives from other communities who attended the meeting:

• Australian Government, Department of Home Affairs – Nikolay Nikolaev, Community Liaison Officer

• Melaleuca Executive Director – Erin Plumb

• Melaleuca Director – Kwame Selormey

• Latvia Community President – Reinis Dancis

• Muslim Association President – Abdul Bajwa Ahmadiyya

• Filipino Association President – Emcille

• Jews Association President – Vida Goodvach

• Bangladesh Association President – Noorin Sama

• Kenya Association President – Paul Wachira

• Ukrainian- Australian Association of NT – Liaison Officer, UAANT Mariia Shevchenko

  
  

Bangladesh Association President – Noorin Sama

Australian Government, Department of Home Affairs – Nikolay Nikolaev, Community Liaison Officer

Jews Association President – Vida Goodvach

Kenya Association President – Paul Wachira

Muslim Association President – Abdul Bajwa Ahmadiyya

Melaleuca Director – Kwame Selormey

Filipino Association President – Emcil

Assistant Minister Hon Julian Hill and Liaison Officer, UAANT Mariia Shevchenko

Luke Gosling, Australian Labor Party and Liaison Officer, UAANT Mariia Shevchenko

This meeting successfully united representatives of various ethnic communities to address shared challenges and find effective ways to support refugees. Collaborative efforts and engagement with the government are paving the way for a better future for those in need of protection and assistance.

#AFUO #UAAUNT #SupportUkraine #StrengthOfUkrainianWomen #UkrainiansInAustralia #TogetherToVictory #HumanitarianVisa866 #RefugeeSupport