Stephen Smith (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on indulgence, I just want to draw to the attention of the House that today is the inaugural World Humanitarian Day. Six years ago today, 19 August 2003, the United Nations office in Iraq was bombed and 22 people lost their lives, including Sergio Vieira de Mello, who was then the Secretary-General’s special representative to Iraq and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and well known to Australia and Australians as a consequence of his very good work in East Timor.

In December last year the General Assembly passed a resolution designating today as World Humanitarian Day, which gives us the opportunity to pay our respects to those humanitarian assistance and development assistance workers who have lost their lives in the cause of rendering assistance. In 2008, 268 aid workers were killed, kidnapped or seriously injured. This, of course, has occurred to Australians in the past—most recently in the tragic Garuda crash in Indonesia. We mark the day and it is a significant recognition of the contribution which aid and humanitarian assistance workers have done over the years, including and in particular Australians.

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on indulgence, the United Nations has designated 19 August as World Humanitarian Day. On this day six years ago, Sergio Vieira de Mello, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the special representative in Iraq for the Secretary-General of the United Nations, was killed along with 21 others in a bomb attack on the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad. In a world wearied by terrorist attacks, this shocking bomb attack reverberated around the world.

This day will be an opportunity for us to pay tribute to all humanitarian workers in Australia and overseas who dedicate their lives to helping others. It will be a day to remember the career and life of Sergio de Mello, who was well known to so many Australians. And it will be a day to remember those who have been killed in the course of their humanitarian work. It has been estimated that some 750 humanitarian workers have been killed in the last 10 years alone in the course of their duties. So the coalition joins with the government in welcoming 19 August as the designated date for World Humanitarian Day.