Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

That is right: the ABC delivered the news to me in a very direct sense. He was quite shocked. He showed me on his iPad some of the reports and images, which made what transpired in Senate estimates for the rest of the day rather insignificant. On the day after the quake it was hard to imagine the impact this disaster would have on our cousins on the other side of the Tasman. As the pictures began hitting our television screens, it was hard not to be affected by the stories of loss and survival. Australia and New Zealand share a unique bond. I am grateful to Senator Abetz for the constitutional law lesson—the reference to New Zealand in our Constitution has escaped me since I last did constitutional law in 1976. This bond goes beyond any legal document. It is deep and heartfelt from the Anzac tradition and beyond. I pay tribute to the Australian emergency personnel who travelled to New Zealand to help deal with the aftermath of the disaster. They faced an incredibly difficult task. Finally, I would like to express my sincere condolences to all those who have lost loved ones. Their pain must be extraordinary. For what it’s worth, they need to know that the people of Australia feel for them and will be there for them as long as they are rebuilding their communities and their lives.

Question agreed to, honourable senators standing in their places.