30 Jul 1998 Motion of Condolence 1351 THURSDAY, 30 JULY 1998 villages and entire populations were washed away by 10 metre walls of water of a strength and destructiveness that we can barely imagine. It is unlikely that there will ever be an Mr SPEAKER (Hon. R. K. Hollis, Redcliffe) accurate record of the number of lives lost as read prayers and took the chair at 10 a.m. a result of that devastation. When we first heard of the disaster, its scale was almost incomprehensible. Our COMMISSION TO ADMINISTER OATH hearts and our prayers went out to all those Mr SPEAKER: Order! Honourable who had suffered, particularly those who had members, I have to report that His Excellency survived and were left to deal with their injuries the Governor has been pleased to issue a and the loss of families and entire Commission under the public seal of the State communities. It is a measure of our own authorising me to administer the oath or sympathy for their plight that thousands of affirmation of allegiance to such members as Queenslanders—individuals, organisations might hereafter present themselves to be and businesses alike—opened up their hearts sworn. I now ask the Clerk to read the and gave generously to the various appeals. Commission to the House. On behalf of all Queenslanders, I offer to The Clerk read the Commission. the people of the villages affected by the disaster our profound sympathy for their loss, and our hope that the outpouring of support GOVERNOR'S OPENING SPEECH from all over the world will help them in some Mr SPEAKER: Honourable members, I small way to return to a semblance of have to report that His Excellency the normality. To the Government and the people Governor, on Wednesday, 29 July 1998, of Papua New Guinea, I extend our delivered a speech to Parliament, of which, for condolences, and I assure our close greater accuracy, I have obtained a copy. I neighbours, with whom we have strong presume honourable members will take the historical links, that in their hour of need the Speech as read? people of Queensland extend the hand of Honourable members: Hear, hear! friendship and assistance. Next Tuesday I will be meeting with the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Mr Bill MOTION OF CONDOLENCE Skate, and I intend to pass on the Tsunami Disaster, Papua New Guinea condolences of not only this Parliament but Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central— also the people of Queensland personally to ALP) (Premier) (10.02 a.m.), by leave, without him. As I indicated, Papua New Guinea is our notice: I move— closest neighbour, and we have strong historical links. In fact, many people who live in "That on behalf of all Queenslanders Queensland today have spent considerable this House places on record its deep time living and working in Papua New Guinea. sadness at the tragic and appalling loss of Indeed, I have two brothers who spent a long life suffered by the people of West Sepik time in Goroka and other places in Papua New Province in Papua New Guinea as a result Guinea, one in fact for 13 years. As a young of the recent tsunami disaster. boy, I visited Papua New Guinea on a number That Mr Speaker be requested to of occasions. I found the people to be very convey to the Speaker of the Papua New warm and friendly. They are wonderful people Guinea House of Assembly and to the who have a special regard for this country, and Governor of West Sepik Province the in particular they have a special regard for this above resolution, together with an State. expression of the sympathy of the That is why when this disaster happened members of the Parliament and the the Queensland Government moved quickly people of Queensland, for the loss and established an appeal. Today I thank all sustained by the survivors and families of those who have contributed to that appeal. I those lost in the disaster." thank also the Commonwealth Bank and During the night of Friday, 17 July, a Suncorp-Metway, which assisted in that natural disaster devastated the coast of appeal through their outlets for no fee. The Papua New Guinea's West Sepik Province. A Queensland Government contributed sequence of three devastating tidal waves $100,000. Today I am happy to say to the struck the coast with such ferocity that whole Parliament that in addition to that 1352 Motion of Condolence 30 Jul 1998 Queenslanders have contributed a total of life in the face of nature's cruellest tricks. The $322,414.13, which brings the total Government responded quickly to the tragedy contribution to date from Queensland in by announcing an appeal and putting into it money terms to $422,404.13. In addition, $100,000. The House will want to note this there have been donations from speedy and thoughtful response and applaud Queenslanders in kind—various household it. The Opposition most certainly does. Money goods, such as towels, sheets, blankets and is never a cure-all, but it can always—with so on—which have also been passed on to generosity—be much more than a token the people of Papua New Guinea. response to emergency and calamity. It is in this case—and we can all feel proud of the It is important that in a very bipartisan way fact—that Queenslanders are generous with we express our condolences to the people of their time, efforts and money when their mates Papua New Guinea. I am delighted that the are in distress. Leader of the Opposition has agreed to second this motion. The people of Sandaun Province and their compatriots throughout Papua New Hon. R. E. BORBIDGE (Surfers Guinea face a terrible and difficult time in Paradise—NPA) (Leader of the Opposition) rebuilding the shattered lives and ruined (10.07 a.m.): In seconding this motion, I join infrastructure that lie broken in the wake of the with the Premier in sorrow on this occasion as tidal waves. Australians will be a significant we in this House reflect upon the terrible part of that rebuilding effort—physically, in the human cost of the tidal waves that struck the instance of Defence Force personnel, civil aid northern coast of Papua New Guinea two workers, and the many volunteers; and at one weeks ago. That horrible tragedy has held all remove, through taxation revenues directed Australians transfixed, and none more so than towards PNG, charitable contributions, and Queenslanders. It has affected us more through the prayers and thoughts many closely than many other Australians for a people will direct towards our friends to the variety of reasons: because of the proximity of north. Queensland to Papua New Guinea, at its closest not much more than a tidal mudflat at The practical things are in hand. The the northern extremity of the Torres Strait; response of the Australian Defence Force has because of the long historical links that we in been magnificent and deserves to be noted Queensland have had with Australia's nearest here, as do the individual contributions of neighbour; and because of today's closer than Australian service personnel deployed to ever links with a country that shares much of Papua New Guinea on this mission of mercy. our flora and fauna and is home sometimes The medical and surgical needs of those temporarily—often for longer periods—to many afflicted by the disaster are being taken care people whose other home, original home, is of by Australians, by our friends and cousins Queensland. the New Zealanders, by our friends the Americans and the Japanese and by many What happened on the evening of Friday, other nations. The social and community 24 July, in Sandaun Province—the West needs that are only now becoming apparent in Sepik—beggars belief. The total fatality list the aftermath of the disaster will require an may never be known. It is shocking to the effort over a much longer period. senses that the sea can rise up and send 10 Adversity brings out the best in people. and 15 metre waves of death and destruction The courage and the fortitude of Papua New through a string of peaceful, traditional Guineans long ago passed into Australian seashore communities. We have responded folklore, written in a blood debt we owe to here as best we can. Whatever we each other. The ties that were forged during did—whatever we do—will be inadequate; the the great emergency of World War II built on enormity of the tragedy sees to that. What can those developed during the early colonial we say about a community's generation of period in what was then the Australian Territory children being all but wiped out? How can we of Papua and the mandated, formerly effectively respond to the total destruction of a German, Territory of New Guinea. Those ties traditional community's living place and are ties of blood. In many instances, they are livelihood? We cannot. It is that that makes the ties of shared family history. Today's the hurt even harder to bear. Australians, today's Queenslanders, honour All of us in this House who have friends, diversity as they have always done and loved ones, families or children—and that honour the true grit that human beings means all of us in this place—have been everywhere demonstrate when the going gets dreadfully reminded of the fragility of human tough. 30 Jul 1998 Motion of Condolence 1353 The State Government no doubt will be that noise.