A New Australian
GH welcomes him
Since the fall of Afghanistan in 2021, more than 250,000 people from that country have sought granted humanitarian visas in Australia. Barely a tenth have been granted. What a callous country we are; how much more callous a country would some have us be. But every now and again, a glimpse of mercy: other members of the Et Al community will, I hope, make welcome Mustafa Qamari as a new Australian citizen. A year ago, many of you put your hand in your pocket to assist the campaign to reunite him with his family; this week, having pored at length over the fifty-page Home Affairs study guide, he aced the citizenship test.
Actually, Mustafa posted a perfect score, and today we celebrated at Melbourne’s best cafe, Mr Tulk - thus bringing together two of my favourite causes.
I say celebrated because it was the first day of Ramadan, so my friend was fasting - I’ve never felt so gluttonous eating a broccoli salad, but Mustafa insisted. And it was great, as always, to catch up, partly because he’s a fabulous bloke, partly because he belies everything the miserabilist right would have you believe about immigration right now. Mustafa works harder and complains less than anyone I know - long shifts in a distribution centre in order to support a network of relations and friends in Afghanistan and elsewhere that we today added up to thirty. Thirty!
These include his wife Zakira, his brother Bait Ullah and sister Hamida - refugees who live from visa to visa, having recently had to relocate from a tiny flat in Tehran to a tiny flat in Peshawar. Four years ago, having been responsible for bringing Mustafa here, I I supported their visa applications. Last year, at huge expense, we upgraded Zakira’s to a partner visa application - honestly, you have never seen such snowdrifts of paper. But…..time passes; we follow advice from the department; we write letters to people we think might be able to help. It’s hard to feel so helpless. Remember when people rallied for refugees? That’s a few popular causes ago now…..
Anyway, despite the politicians who would close the door on the place where Australians waged their longest war, Mustafa is now my countryman as well as my friend. He knows his own mind too. ‘You’re Australian?’ said Michael, Tulk’s endlessly hospitable owner. ‘That means you must have a football team.’ Michael is as Richmond as I am Geelong, but Mustafa was having none of it. ‘Actually,’ he said mildly, ‘I like Collingwood….’
Cheer Michael up by signing his petition, and please extend your warmest wishes to Mustafa - one of the best blokes you’d meet in a day’s march.
Dear GH, I enjoyed your piece, A New Australian. I am, I fear, one of the 'miserabilist right' whom you disparage; and I also fear you misunderstand the concern. I played under-age cricket for Toombul in Brisbane (decades ago in my teens and 20s). I met then and I continue to count as friends many immigrants. I do not, however, regard it as irrational or intolerant - or even miserable - to call for a pause and a review of the system that has admitted murderers to our beaches and which seemingly has at least partly contributed to pricing most of our children out of the housing market. Please give my regards to Mustafa and assure my countryman that he should be confident that even those who are calling for a pause and a review are not opposed to him. At all. (Unless he's going to sign up for Valleys - then there would be trouble.)
Welcome Mustafa!
GH, why not put the Mr Tulk petition on your site so others can add their names?