Australian MP suspended after Turkish invasion speech

An Australian MP of Greek Cypriot heritage has reportedly been suspended from a sub-faction of the Victorian Labour Party after sparking factional in-fighting over a speech backing Cyprus.

According to the Herald Sun, Northcote MP Kat Theophanous was suspended after giving a speech in the Victorian parliament on the Turkish invasion of Cyprus.

Theophanous was suspended from a sub-faction of the party’s Right, the Cons faction, after sparking anger with the speech.

There had been a push to expel her but an indefinite suspension was negotiated instead.

Earlier this month, Theophanous spoke in the Victorian parliament seeking support for a just solution to the Cyprus issue after the 1974 Turkish invasion.

“It has been 49 years since Turkey invaded Cyprus, illegally seizing and violently occupying 36 per cent of the island, displacing hundreds of thousands of people,” she said.

“I am proudly Cypriot Australian, and this year, along with eight other Hellenic Australian parliamentarians, we passed a resolution at the World Hellenic Inter-Parliamentary Association’s general assembly.

“Together we condemned the illegal occupation of northern Cyprus by Turkey, which contravenes international law and UN resolutions, and we called for the right of return for Cypriot refugees to their ancestral homelands. The resolution appeals to all parliaments, including this one, to fully support the UN-led efforts for a peaceful, just and viable Cyprus settlement.”

Theophanous explained that her mother’s village, Ashia, remained under Turkish control.

“It is occupied by the Turkish military, who rounded up the Greek civilians, executed them and dumped their bodies into mass graves,” she said.

“The international community has repeatedly called for the withdrawal of Turkish troops from Cyprus and a peaceful resolution – a chillingly similar scenario to Ukraine now. I stand in solidarity with them.”

The comments made during the address drew an angry response from senior minister Natalie Suleyman as well as from the Australian Labour Party’s large Turkish base.

A motion to suspend Theophanous was moved by minister Melissa Horne. The reason given for suspending was that she had failed to consult with colleagues.

The suspension has also reportedly prompted fears of broader implications for the party including calling on the Victorian branch to formally recognise the Greek and Armenian genocides.