Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I will be brief. I concur with the remarks of Senator Evans and Senator Abetz. Many people in regional Australia have not been to Japan but it was most poignantly put to me by a lady who walked down the street in St George and said, ‘It looks like the end of time.’ I tended, after watching the television, to agree with her. What Japan has been through with in excess of 21,000 people either killed or missing has been horrific and apocalyptic. The Japanese people are sustained by their stoic nature. It has been amazing for all to watch the television and see how the Japanese people have quietly taken their burden on their shoulders and are going about as best they can to restore their nation.

Restoring their nation is vitally important not only to the people of Japan but most definitely to the people of Australia. Japan remains our second biggest trading partner, only just after China, and as such is one of the greatest markets for our coal. If Japan as an economy were to stumble then the effects on Australia would be absolutely devastating. It is well within our own interest to make sure that we shoulder as much as we can the burden of the Japanese people because basically a lot of where Japan goes is where we go.

Strategically, they are a strong ally. The Japanese have been a very kind benefactor throughout the world. People note that Japan is one of the greatest donors to areas of distress throughout the globe, and now Japan itself is requiring others to turn their eyes towards it. Even now there is hope, with an 80-year-old lady, Sumi Abe, rescued yesterday with her grandson Jin. This is an example of the hope and perseverance that people still have at this point of time.

We carry with the Japanese people concerns over how they are dealing with the issues, as seen on the television, surrounding the nuclear power plant. We hope that that issue can be brought quickly to heel and that there are no long-term ramifications from it. More than anything else I think of my daughter. At 10 years old, after watching the television, she said, ‘What can we do to help?’ That is what is occupying so many Australians’ minds: what can we do to help? The Japanese people should know that even in the more remote parts of Australia where I and my other colleagues come from we are very concerned about Japan. Our hearts and our prayers go towards the Japanese people. Whatever we can do in Australia to help the Japanese people they should just give us a call and we will do it.