Page 1572 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 12 May 2015
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Nepalese origin, including students at the Australian National University and the University of Canberra, as well as four cultural organisations, who have added so much to our city’s life and culture. We thank them for making Canberra their home.
Since the earthquake it has been heartening to see the support of Canberra’s multicultural sector and the support that our wider community has shown. With local coordination led by the Australia Nepal Friendship Society, a beautiful candlelight vigil was hosted in Garema Place on 1 May and attended by hundreds of Canberrans.
At a special fundraising night held at the Theo Notaras Multicultural Centre on 10 May, jointly organised by the Federation of Chinese Community and the Red Cross, much-needed funds were collected to assist with the recovery efforts. The generosity of our community in supporting others in this time of tragedy shows how dear our Nepalese friends are to us, and how caring Canberrans are in times of extreme need.
In that spirit, the ACT government last week donated $10,000 on behalf of Canberrans to Oxfam Australia’s Nepal Earthquake Relief Appeal to help with humanitarian efforts. Donations made to Oxfam’s appeal contribute towards emergency relief and recovery assistance, water and sanitation, shelter, health, protection, livelihoods, community safety and resilience initiatives, as well as sending specialist aid workers to assist in relief, recovery and long-term disaster management operations. Canberrans who would like to support this appeal further can do so by making a donation via the website at www.oxfam.org.au.
Another way of showing support is to take up the opportunity to express your thoughts at this time of tragedy for so many people. A condolence book has been placed in the foyer of the ACT Assembly here in the city for anyone who would like to pen a message or simply sign their name in support of Nepal. It will be here for the next month, and we encourage all citizens of Canberra to come to the Assembly to sign the book.
Whilst a condolence book is a small gesture during a time of such grave tragedy, it is a way for our community to express the sorrow we are all feeling for such a warm-hearted, welcoming and beautiful people. Significantly, it is also a symbol of hope, a symbol of reflection and a symbol of the well wishes for Nepal’s future from the people of Canberra.
In 2003 our city confronted natural disaster when the devastating firestorm wreaked havoc across Canberra. Our recovery process was long and fraught, but the support and well wishes that we were shown from people across the world brightened our city’s darkest days. I wish the same for the people of Nepal. With the love and support of your friends here and in every corner of the globe, we will help you through this dark time.
Madam Speaker, I am confident that I speak on behalf of all of my Assembly colleagues as we express this sentiment and support this condolence motion today for the people of Nepal.
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