On Thursday, 20 October 2016, a delegation led by Mr. Hermiz Shahen, Deputy Secretary General of the Assyrian Universal Alliance (AUA), Mr David M. David , President of the Assyrian Australian National Federation, Mrs. Suzy David , AUA senior advisor and former Deputy Secretary General, together with Mrs. Karen Bos , from Christian Faith & Freedom held a meeting in parliament house in Canberra with the Minister for Foreign Affairs the Hon Julie Bishop MP. The delegation expressed the concerns of Australian Assyrians, about the future of the indigenous Assyrians of Iraq and Syria, and their plight in both countries. The delegation presented the Australian Foreign minister with a letter and briefed her about the battle that already started to liberate Mosul and Nineveh Plains from ISIS and the vacuum that will be created once the military operation is completed that could easily fall into civil war over who controls the region. As a matter of the uttermost importance, the Assyrian Universal Alliance urged the Australian government, to lay out a comprehensive strategy assisting the Assyrian nation's needs in the establishment of a self-administered safe haven in Northern Iraq within federal Iraq and provide training and funding to the existing Assyrian Christian militia who can protect their lands themselves.