In yesterday's Australian Parliamentary session, Liberal Party MP for Cowen (WA), the Hon. Luke Simpkins, raised the issue of Australia's official policy toward the name of the Republic of Macedonia and the Macedonians in Australia. 

Amongst other things, he stated that the current Australian policy on the name of the Republic of Macedonia and the policy toward the Australian citizens of Macedonian descent is offensive and degrading. He, continued by asking fellow Members of Parliament how they would feel if Australia had been referred to in terms such as "Former British Colony of Australia" and "Anglo-Saxon Australians".

He also suggested that in Australia there is no other example of any other community being racially vilified on their name, as there is in the case of the Macedonians and so he implores the Australian Government to follow the example of the other nations, who in their bilateral relations with Macedonia, refer to the country using its Constitutional name,the "Republic of Macedonia", and for the name of the Australian citizens of Macedonian descent to be officially referred to as "Macedonians" as opposed to the current term, based on the 1994 directive, of "Slav-Macedonians".

The Ambassador of the Republic of Macedonia in Canberra, Viktor Gaber today met with MP Luke Simpkins and thanked him for the public support toward the name of the Republic of Macedonia and the Macedonian people.

They later discussed ideas for upcoming activities of the newly formed Australia-Macedonia Parliamentary group, of which Federal MP Simpkins is Vice-President.

UMD urges all of our members and supporters to thank Mr. Simpkins for these statements at http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/member.asp?id=HWE