Andrew Bartlett (Queensland, Australian Democrats) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and on behalf of Senator Lundy and Senator Nettle, move:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes:

(i)

that 19 October 2006 is the fifth anniversary of the sinking of the boat known as the SIEV X, which was bound for Australia and sank with the loss of 353 lives, including 146 children,

(ii)

that a ceremony was held on 15 October 2006 at Weston Park, Yarralumla, on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra to mark the anniversary and to display a proposed memorial, featuring 353 decorated wooden poles, which was created by people from more than 200 church, school and community groups from every state and territory in Australia, and

(iii)

the continuing grief that is still suffered by those who lost husbands, wives, mothers, fathers and children in the event;

(b)

calls on the National Capital Authority to give permission for the SIEV X memorial project to be established as a permanent memorial on the Canberra lakeshore as soon as possible; and

(c)

expresses its regret and sympathy at the tragic loss of so many innocent lives.

Question put.