The Federal Government’s silence over Iran’s untenable place on the UN Commission on the Status of Women must end today.

More than a week has passed since Mahsa Amini was killed. During that week, an array of Government Ministers posed for dozens of photos at the UN but did nothing to raise the abhorrent situation of Iran’s place on the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

Today I will join members of the Iranian community rallying at Parliament House in Canberra to pay tribute to Mahsa Amini and raise awareness of the actions of the Iranian regime which doesn’t allow women to even show their hair in public. Dozens more Iranians have been killed in protests following Mahsa’s death.

It is utterly unacceptable that Iran remains on the UN Commission on the Status of Women, and it is inexplicable that the Federal Government hasn’t taken steps while at the UN for the past week to to have them removed.

The Government must take a stand in support of women’s rights today by making a clear statement that Australia will work with other nations towards Iran’s removal from the Commission and ensuring there is an independent investigation into the actions of Iranian police.