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Speech of the Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane MLC in NSW
Parliament about PAK FLOODS
(The Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane,
the first Australian of Arabic-Lebanese-Muslim delivered this speech on 01
September 2010)
The 2008 global financial crisis hit Pakistan hard with the Government urgently seeking more than $100 billion in aid in order to avoid possible bankruptcy. Aid was not forthcoming and Pakistan relied on more aggressive fiscal policies. Although the economic crisis is easing, the catastrophic rain and monsoon floods had devastated the Pakistani economy even further.
The United Nations General Secretary Mr Ban Ki-moon described the Pakistani flood as "heart wrenching". It was destruction on a scale that no-one has seen before with untold impact on 20 million people. At least 2,000 people have died and around 750,000 homes have been destroyed or badly damaged. Health experts warn that hundreds more will die from the threat of epidemics in flood-hit areas. The World Health Organisation has estimated that more than 10 million people are either suffering or at risk of infection, including cholera and diarrhoea, from drinking unsafe water. Many of those people would be children. Around 6 million people require immediate food aid and millions more are affected by public health issues as a result of this natural disaster.
The flooding began more than two weeks ago in the mountains north-west of Pakistan and has swept south across a quarter of the country, including its agricultural heartland. The initial damage assessment for the relief and early recovery has been put at about $3.5 billion. It would take a number of years to construct new bridges, repair broken roads and damaged electricity pylons, and rebuild the homes and lives destroyed and the agricultural land and livestock lost. It is said that billions of dollars are needed in the long term. The United States has already donated $70 million. With the Saudi generosity comes a donation of $100 million in addition to continuous relief support for flood victims.
Around half a billion dollars has now been pledged, including $35 million donated by the Australian Government and $500,000 from the New South Wales Government. Premier Kristina Keneally and the Minister for Western Sydney David Borger announced that the New South Wales Government will provide $250,000 each to the Australian Red Cross and UNICEF for the Pakistan flood appeals. Both organisations have been on the ground in Pakistan assisting with medical treatment, shelter, food and clean water, hygiene kits and tracing missing family members. In the coming months the New South Wales Government will also host a fundraising dinner at Parliament House to support relief efforts. A number of New South Wales councils will also donate. The Sydney City Council has donated $ 100,000,Canterbury Council has donated $10,000 and Rockdale Council will soon make its own pledge. I am pleased to announce that, with Councillor Bill Saravinovski, the mayor of Rockdale City Council, Mr. Hamid Asghar Khan, the Acting Consul General of Pakistan, and Iftikhar Rana President of the Pakistan Association of Australia, I will be holding a fundraising dinner on 20 September to help the Pakistani flood victims with all moneys donated to go through Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA.
I take this opportunity to thank all those who have donated as well as the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, The Lebanese Muslim Association and all who have dug deep to help those in need. Special thanks to Pakistan's High Commissioner to Australia, Ms. Fauzia Nasreen, for her determination to rally the Australian community to help the people of Pakistan. I also thank the honourable President of this House Amanda Fazio for expressing her condolences and giving members of this House the opportunity to do the same on behalf of the people of New South Wales and stand for a moment of silence as a mark of respect for the people of Pakistan. Recently, the people of Pakistan celebrated the occasion of Pakistan's Independence Day and today the people of Pakistan celebrate the holy month of Ramadan, but in doing so they remember their brothers and sisters who are suffering untold hardship. Our hearts go out to them and to the bereaved families of all who have lost loved ones and suffer as a consequence.
