Afghan Hazara woman Hakimeh Rahimi praises Wagga Council for backing more aid for refugees

On Monday evening councillors voted to write to Riverina MP Michael McCormack and Prime Minister Scott Morrison calling for key steps to be taken to aid Afghan refugees both in Afghanistan and Australia.

Among the requests was a call for more refugee places to be added to Australia's annual intake for Afghan refugees, to extend permanent protection to the 4300 Afghans on temporary protection visas, and to allow people on both temporary and permanent protection visas urgent family reunions.

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Wagga mum Hakimeh Rahimi fled Afghanistan in 1995 and has lived in Australia for eight years - she and her family are Hazara, a persecuted minority in Afghanistan.

Mrs Rahimi's parents and siblings live in Iran as refugees, while her husband's brother and her aunt and uncle are in Afghanistan.

Though she was recently relieved to hear her brother-in-law is alive, after months of no contact, the family is facing a grim reality.

"They are not allowed to leave their homes between 6pm and 6am," she said. "Two of my nieces were at university but now my brother-in law-says they are scared of the Taliban so they have to stay at home.

"One of them lost her job. It's worse than before, especially for Hazara people.

"I can't explain how we're feeling, we're stressed about our families and we cant do anything.

"I really hope the government does more, especially for those people whose families are there, to at least let them bring their family here safely."

Wagga Multicultural Council's Belinda Crain said offering permanent protection visas and family unification were key moves the government should make.

"When you're on a temporary visa you have no pathway to security ... it also gives them no possibility of family reunification so they're not able to apply for family members to come over," she said.

She said council's decision to make representations on behalf of the community, who she says have flooding the Multicultural Council with support in recent weeks, is an important step.

"I think it is an acknowledgment of the community's experience and what they're going through, and saying this is not OK," she said.

"We are the people, they are our elected representatives and more people saying this is not good enough is the only way we're going to get any action."

Michael McCormack said he looked forward to reading and responding to council's letter.

"The federal government's top priority is the safe evacuation of Australian citizens and visa holders, as well as supporting our friends and partners in their operations," he said.

"We will continue to do everything we can to get as many people out as safely as possible."

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