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

Mr Speaker, I want to take the opportunity on indulgence to condemn the brutal and senseless attack on World Vision in Mansehra in Pakistan yesterday. Yesterday, gunmen entered the offices of World Vision and, in execution style, shot six staff members, all of whom were Pakistani. World Vision Australia is of course very well known and regarded in Australia for its good work in our region and internationally, and there are close links between World Vision Australia and World Vision International. There are a small number of Australians who work for World Vision in Pakistan. Fortunately, they were not involved in this terrible event. We extend our sympathy and our condolences to the families of the slain individuals. We extend our sympathy and condolences to their friends in World Vision International and World Vision Australia.

Development assistance workers, whether they are government officers, whether they are officers from non-government organisations or whether they are employed by international institutions like the World Bank or indeed United Nations agencies, do good deeds in dangerous circumstances, often at risk to themselves, seeking to help people who are less well off than themselves and help nations who are less well off than we are. Any attack on development assistance workers is contemptible. We condemn this brutal attack. We stand shoulder to shoulder with the families of the slain, we stand shoulder to shoulder with Pakistan and we stand shoulder to shoulder with World Vision and international development assistance workers generally.

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

On indulgence, Mr Speaker, I rise to add my remarks to those of the Minister for Foreign Affairs in relation to the brutal and senseless killing of World Vision workers in north-west Pakistan. The execution style killings have been rightly condemned around the world. Six aid workers were killed, including two women, and others were injured. World Vision workers have been in this region since October 2005 as a result of an earthquake that occurred at that time.

The Geneva convention protects humanitarian workers, yet we have seen in the last decade an increasing number of brutal attacks on aid workers. That should be condemned. The opposition joins with the government in offering condolences to those affected by this tragedy and condemns these senseless acts.