Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Australian Greens I support the motion moved by the Leader of the Government in the Senate on the recent earthquake in New Zealand. We express our warmest condolences to the people of Christchurch and of New Zealand, and of the 20 countries whose citizens died in the extraordinary earthquake which followed the earlier earthquake at the end of last year. I have very clear memories of going to the funeral service for the New Zealand Green MP Rod Donald, a great friend of mine, in Christchurch Cathedral at the end of 2005 and acquainting myself again with the great beauty and civic pride of this premier city of the South Island of New Zealand. It was extraordinary to hear of the destruction of so much of that city. I spoke with Kennedy Graham, a Green MP, on the day after the disaster and it was difficult to fathom the account of how much of the city lay in ruins and how many people potentially had lost their lives or had been injured and were suffering because of this earthquake.

One thing that was not destroyed was the great spirit of Cantabrians and their capital city, and the great spirit of human generosity that comes forward in such disasters around the world, such as that which has just unfolded in Japan. We saw it in Tibet last year and now with the people of Christchurch and New Zealand, and we see it in the 600 Australians who have gone to help on behalf of this nation which has felt so strongly the pain and suffering in Christchurch.

If there is one small piece of something we can think is good coming out of a tragedy like this, it is that we have moved just a little closer to the people of New Zealand as a result of this quake—geographically as well as spiritually. I say, using some of the words of Prince William: ‘Aroha’ to the people of New Zealand—our respect and our love; and ‘kia kaha’—be strong, and we feel strongly with you.