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Australia PM responds to injured Bondi hero’s desperate plea

Author
AAP,
Publish Date
Thu, 18 Apr 2024, 2:11PM

Australia PM responds to injured Bondi hero’s desperate plea

Author
AAP,
Publish Date
Thu, 18 Apr 2024, 2:11PM

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed the offer of a permanent visa will be made to an injured Pakistani security guard following the Bondi Junction stabbing.  

Security guard Muhammad Taha was taken to hospital after confronting attacker Joel Cauchi during his stabbing rampage on Saturday, which killed six people. 

While French construction worker Damien Guerot - who was also dubbed “bollard man” after footage emerged of him holding back the attacker - was offered a permanent visa for his heroics, Taha had questioned whether a similar offer should be extended to him for his efforts. 

French construction worker Damien Guerot was offered a permanent visa for his heroics. Photo / APFrench construction worker Damien Guerot was offered a permanent visa for his heroics. Photo / AP 

“Similarly, as a direct victim of the incident, I believe I deserve recognition and consideration for citizenship,” he told the Australian. 

Taha is in Australia on a graduate visa, which is due to expire, the newspaper reported. 

When asked about whether similar offer of citizenship or visa would be put to Taha, Albanese confirmed the move. 

“These are people who were putting ... themselves in danger in order to protect Australians they didn’t know, just people going about, doing their shopping,” he told radio station 5AA on Thursday. 

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Photo / APAustralian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Photo / AP 

“That’s the sort of courage that we want to say thank you to, frankly.” 

Albanese also confirmed a permanent visa would be issued to Guerot. 

“There was extraordinary stories of bravery amongst the carnage and tragedy that we saw on Saturday,” he said. 

“It’s a bit of light in amongst the darkness that you saw these extraordinary acts.” 

-Andrew Brown, AAP 

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