"I believe I deserve recognition and consideration for citizenship."
Australia’s Prime Minister said a Pakistani security guard stabbed in the Sydney attack may be offered permanent residency or citizenship.
This comes after the country made a similar offer to a French citizen.
Anthony Albanese said all those who showed bravery during the Westfield Bondi Junction attack on April 13, 2024, were a “light in amongst the darkness” and deserved Australia’s gratitude.
He said the government “certainly will” consider extending a residency offer to Muhammad Taha.
Mr Albanese confirmed Damien Guerot, nicknamed ‘Bollard Man’ for confronting attacker Joel Cauchi with a bollard at the shopping centre, will be given permanent residency in Australia.
It was reported that Muhammad, who was seriously injured in the attack, had asked why he had not been offered the same since he and colleague Faraz Tahir, who was killed, had also confronted Cauchi.
The security guard’s skilled sub-class 487 visa expires in May 2024.
He said: “As a direct victim of the incident, I believe I deserve recognition and consideration for citizenship.
“As well [as] the guards working alongside [who] came running towards the point of incident and risking their lives … [they] should be offered citizenship as well.”
Mr Albanese was asked if the government would reconsider offering residency or citizenship to Mr Taha on the same basis as Mr Guerot.
The PM said: “Yes, we certainly will.
“Damien Guerot, the French citizen who was praised overnight by my friend president [Emmanuel] Macron who was out there very proud of him … what he [Guerot] was after, he was here on a temporary visa, he was after a permanent visa, not to change his citizenship, but a permanent visa will be granted to him today.
“And certainly, the circumstances where people are there working as security guards, the tragedy of Faraz Tahir who lost his life, this other person Muhammad Taha, he confronted this guy, the [alleged] perpetrator Joel Cauchi, on Saturday [will be considered].
“It just shows extraordinary courage, these are people who were… not thinking of themselves… putting themselves in danger protecting Australians they didn’t know, just people going about their shopping.
“And that’s the sort of courage that we want to say thank you to, frankly. Those extraordinary stories of bravery in amongst the carnage and tragedy that we saw on Saturday.
“It’s a bit of light in amongst the darkness that you saw these extraordinary acts.”
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles previously said that “certainly the actions of Mr Taha were enormously brave, there’s no doubt about that”.
He added: “I’m not aware of the particular applications that Mr Taha has … but I’ve got no doubt that his circumstances will be worked through.
“The notion that the sort of bravery that Mr Taha exhibited is what we want to see in this country is, of course, right.”
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