One member of the Iranian women’s soccer team delegation has sought to return to Iran after being provided a humanitarian visa, and members of the delegation were moved by the government after Iranian officials became aware of their location, Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke has told the House of Representatives.
Burke said he travelled to Brisbane and Sydney to see if anyone from the team was interested in taking up Australia’s offer to remain in Australia. Two members of the delegation – one player and one support person – requested to remain in Australia and were issued with humanitarian visas, as already reported.
“I would advise that one of the two who had made the decision to stay last night, had spoken to some of the teammates who had left and had changed her mind. In Australia, people are able to change their mind. People are able to travel. And so we respect the context in which she has made that decision,” Burke told the House.
“Unfortunately, in making that decision, she’d been advised by her teammates and coach to contact the Iranian embassy and to get collected. My officials made sure that this was her decision, and every question you would want asked, was asked,” he said.
“As a result of that, it meant that the Iranian embassy now knew the location of where everybody was. I immediately gave the instruction for people to be moved, and that’s been dealt with immediately,” Burke said.
The minister said “we can all be very proud of the Australian Federal Police” and members of the Department of Home Affairs for supporting the provision of humanitarian visas to those who sought them.
“Australia is a country where they can see there is freedom of choice for women as well, and a country where those who have made the decision to stay will be very welcome and very much the rest of the Australian people will be wrapping them in our arms.”
