Kelly O'Dwyer (Higgins, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would just like to congratulate the member for Wannon on what was a very moving and very eloquent speech. I join with him in adding my condolences to the Japanese people for the great tragedy and great horror that have been wrought upon them.

Over the past few months we have witnessed some truly devastating events, beginning with the floods in Queensland and Victoria, Cyclone Yasi and bushfires in Western Australia. We have seen earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand. But what has happened is almost unimaginable: a 9.0-magnitude earthquake, a tsunami and multiple aftershocks—aftershocks that have wrought very significant impacts not only in terms of lives that have been lost but also on the infrastructure of Japan. We know at this point in time that some of the most critical infrastructure—the energy infrastructure—is still currently under threat with the nuclear reactors in Fukushima, and our thoughts are with those workers in Fukushima who are doing all that they can to prevent even further disaster. We pay tribute to them and their courage in continuing to do the important job that they are doing and we know that they are doing it for a more important purpose.

What we have seen in Japan has been truly monumental in terms of the scale of destruction, the number of lives lost and unaccounted for and the effect on people’s lives as they prepare for the very grim task of reconstruction that will undoubtedly take many years. The total number of people unaccounted for in Japan is over 12,000. We already know that over 8,000 people have been found to be dead as a result of the devastating earthquake. We also know that the figures of the dead will probably continue to rise quite dramatically as we find what has happened to those over 12,000 people who have been unaccounted for.

Australians offer their grief and sympathy to all those who have suffered, and we hope that recovery and reconstruction will be as swift as possible. Having suffered natural disasters ourselves just recently, we have a small idea of what Japan must be facing at this time. But, as I said before, the sheer scale of the tragedy is nonetheless very difficult to comprehend.

Japan, like Australia, benefits from strong institutions and a sound system of democratic government, which will ensure that recovery will be brought about as quickly and effectively as possible. It is a nation with a strong system of international trade, high levels of savings and the ability to raise the money needed to finance reconstruction. For these reasons, Japan is in the strongest possible position to recover.

The World Bank has estimated that it will take around five years for Japan to rebuild. If this is true then we may at least remain confident that Japan will pull through this disaster and will soon return to stability. There will no doubt be widespread disruption to the Japanese economy, particularly to the electricity and transport sectors, and export trade is expected to decline dramatically. The destruction of real wealth and the precipitous drop in share values cannot be ignored. But we are already hearing some positive reports of factories preparing to reopen in coming days, such as the iconic Japanese companies Sony, Toyota, and Honda. That gives us great hope.

Although any estimate of the length of recovery at this stage is uncertain, there is every reason to believe the Japanese Prime Minister, Naoto Kan, when he says there is light at the end of the tunnel. We have every reason to believe that the strength of the Japanese people and their ability to overcome setbacks will see Japan recover quickly.

Australians have great respect for the Japanese people. Although historically Australia and Japan have been divided through war, we were united again through peace and today we are united through this tragedy. We have great respect for the Japanese people for their strong social institutions, their great sense of duty and their ever-present civility and refinement. Even in the face of a disaster such as the one that has struck the main island of Japan, the people have still preserved those attributes and we have seen and heard of miracles.

We recall the story of the 80-year-old grandmother and her 16-year-old grandson being pulled from the rubble and wreckage after nine days of being buried. We have heard of great acts of altruism, of people who have not just thought of themselves in this great disaster but thought of others—finding out what has been happening to their friends, neighbours and business colleagues and ensuring that they are being cared for. We have also heard of great acts of courage, and I referred earlier to the workers at the Fukushima nuclear plant. We salute their tremendous courage in the face of great and grave danger.

The recent earthquake is Japan’s deadliest natural disaster since the Great Kanto earthquake in 1923, which killed more than 142,000. Mercifully, the death toll for the recent disaster has been less than this, yet it is no less terrible. When we think of Japan we think of its great technological and industrial prowess. But we know at the heart of it all that the human capital of Japan is its greatest strength and its strongest asset. We know that the rebuilding of Japan will occur over time. We have been struck by the grace and dignity with which the Japanese people have dealt with this disaster. Many people’s lives have been turned upside down, with the loss of their homes and loved ones. Temporary housing has been built for the hundreds of thousands who have been displaced. There is so much work to do not only in the days and weeks to come but in the months and years ahead. We know that the scars will remain, despite the rebuilding that will happen into the future. There is still much difficulty for the people of Japan to endure, and we hope that those affected may see their lives repaired as Japan begins the task of rebuilding its towns and cities.

Our prayers are with the people of Japan and with those who are mourning their loved ones and who are starting to rebuild their lives. But, before I conclude, I think it is very important to pay tribute to Australia’s response to this great tragedy. Australia, of course, has acted quickly. Japan has deployed over 100,000 Self-Defence Forces personnel to the devastated areas to help the search and rescue efforts. The Australian government has sent a 72-strong urban search and rescue team, including sniffer dogs. We have also offered field hospitals and victim identification specialists—critical personnel in what has been a terrible tragedy. We salute the work that the Australians have done in this awful time and, again, I reiterate that our thoughts are with the Japanese people, and I add my condolences.

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