21 February – Thousands of people rallied around Australia yesterday in support of the Australian-Ukrainian community’s #StandWithUkraine action calling for international unity against Russian military aggression. Marches and memorial services were held in capital cities around Australia, with the largest gatherings in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide.
Politicians from across the political spectrum attended, including Immigration Minister Alex Hawke, Liberal Senator David Van, Labor frontbencher Tony Burke, Labor MP Jason Clare, Labor MP Bill Shorten, Labor MP Lynda Voltz, former Labor MP Laurie Ferguson, Matthew Guy Victorian Liberal Opposition Leader, Peter Malinauskas SA Labor Leader of the Opposition, and Labor Senator Don Farrell.
Consular officials from Canada, the United States, Turkey, the Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Estonia and Latvia also attended, as did leaders of many community groups, including the Jewish, Polish, Croatian and Baltic communities.