A security guard, who was injured during the Westfield Bondi Junction stabbing attack, will be offered a permanent visa as a thank you for his bravery, the prime minister has confirmed.
Five women and one man were murdered in the stabbing at the eastern suburbs mall on Saturday afternoon, with another dozen people injured — including a baby girl whose mother died in the attack.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Unsung Bondi Junction hero Muhammad Taha asks for permanent residency.
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The killer, 40-year-old Queensland man Joel Cauchi, was shot dead by police at the scene and NSW Premier Chris Minns said it had been clear he was targeting women.
Security guard Muhammad Taha was taken to hospital after confronting the attacker, while his colleague security guard Faraz Tahir, 30, died at the scene.
French construction worker Damien Guerot — who was dubbed “bollard man” when footage emerged of him wielding a metal bollard in an attempt to stop Gauchi — was offered a permanent visa for his heroics.
However, Taha said in an interview with The Australian a similar offer should be extended to him for his efforts.
When Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was on Thursday morning asked about whether a similar offer of citizenship or visa would be put to Taha, he 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.
“That’s the sort of courage that we want to say thank you to, frankly.”
Albanese on Thursday 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.”
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Richard Marles told Sunrise he was sure Taha’s application would be worked through by the Prime Minister.
“I want to say really clearly the actions of Mr Taha are enormously brave as are a range of people including the person we are calling ‘bollard man’ were,” he said.
“Coming out of that tragedy are these incredible stories of bravery for which the nation is really greatly indebted, and the circumstances of Mr Taha I’m sure will be worked through.”
– With AAP
