Nepal Floods

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-168304

Hansard session: Fifty-Eighth Parliament, First Session (58-1)

Nepal Floods

Mr CHRIS MINNS (KogarahPremier) (13:16:31):

— I move that this House:

(1)Expresses its deep sorrow at the devastation caused by the floods in Nepal.

(2)Extends its sincere condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and keeps in its thoughts the thousands of people who remain missing, including 35 Australians.

(3)Acknowledges Australia's assistance through the deployment of almost 50 officers to the region to support search, rescue and recovery efforts, including personnel from Fire and Rescue NSW.

Every Australian was shocked and sickened by what we saw in Nepal on 26 August. There was so much water moving so quickly and with such impossible force. Our hearts are broken for that beautiful part of the world, with thousands dead and thousands more missing. In that terrible chaos are 43 Australians. Miraculously, three weeks later, eight of those Australians have been found alive and well. Yet 35 are still missing or confirmed dead. Today we remember Michael Keats of Mollymook, the first Australian confirmed deceased in these floods. Everyone who knew Michael described him as a gentle, soulful man with a kind and patient heart. That made him perfect for his job as a school support worker at Moruya High School in the public school system. The principal of his school, Mark English, told us that Michael was drawn to the neediest students—the kids who required the most help, patience and care.

For a long time, as part of his studies in philosophy, Michael had dreamed of travelling to Mount Kailash, a famous spiritual retreat in Tibet. It was there, after he had completed his pilgrimage, that Michael was killed. Mr Keats is being mourned by many people, including the students at Moruya High, who are now raising money to rebuild schools that were destroyed in Nepal in memory of their teacher. Think about the kinds of people who save up their leave to embark on a spiritual journey. They are people with big hearts and open minds—the kind of interesting, curious people we want in our community. Today we are thinking of Sumi Adhikari, a 41‑year‑old mother of two from Western Sydney. Her husband, Nava Pandey, told us about his beloved wife and their journey in Australia. Like many Nepalese Australians, they had travelled here for a better life, but the truth is that it was not always easy. They struggled at first; jobs were hard to find. But Sumi was tenacious; she kept pushing, and she worked her way up in the world and eventually became a network engineer at Optus. It is a fantastic story of Australian fortitude and resilience. Like Michael Keats, Sumi had been dreaming of a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash. On 26 August, she was coming home to Australia when the floodwaters hit. Her husband has since travelled to Nepal but was not able to locate her.

We send our love to every Australian who has experienced that same agonising search. Among the missing are Umesh and Krishna Sharma from Pemulwuy. So is Bharat Mangwani, a structural engineer and father of two, from Kellyville. Like so many others, his wife has travelled overseas to search for him. Also missing are Shylaja and Chandrasekaran Muralitharan and their sons, Ashwin and Aarush, from Sydney's north-west. Shylaja and Chandrasekaran wanted their boys to share in the experience of a pilgrimage with them, as a family.

For decades, Kogarah, Rockdale and Hurstville have been a heartland of the Nepalese Australian community. Over the years, the member for Barton, the member for Rockdale, the previous member for Kogarah, the member for Oatley and I have gotten to know these wonderful Australians in our local chambers of commerce, in endless fundraisers and charity drives, and in support organisations. In my experience, they are some of the most hardworking, selfless, gentle-hearted people you will ever meet. They have been there for us when we have been hit with natural disasters and devastations, organising food drives, community outreach organisations, and fundraising. What little they had, they gave willingly to whatever was ailing our community in New South Wales.

In the last three weeks, we have seen that spirit again, with homes being thrown open, meals being cooked, and neighbours doing everything they can to track down friends and loved ones. It was summed up by Chiran Tiwari, the president of the Nepalese Australian Welfare Society, who said, "Our cultural and spiritual traditions are providing an anchor, reminding us that, even in tragedy, we are never truly alone." Chiran is right: They are not alone. To support our Nepalese brothers and sisters, New South Wales has sent, in addition to the 50 specialists, 13 specialists from Fire and Rescue and from the ambulance service to help in the disaster zone. It is difficult and dangerous work, and we thank those volunteers for spending their time in Nepal to help those who are in desperate need.

To fight our own disasters, we have developed some of the world's best emergency drone operations, and we are also sending those crews and drones to search down tunnels and protect the crews working in dangerous conditions. That team is being led by Fire and Rescue Chief Superintendent Jeremy Stubbs. Jeremy has been to Canada and America before. In that instance he was fighting terrible wildfires. He told us, "At the time, I thought, 'That's the pinnacle of the disaster I've seen.' Well, this one surpasses that tenfold."

For all the terror and destruction, there have been moments of hope and some miraculous stories too. Jeremy reported to us about a six-year-old Nepali boy who came out of the forest, five days after the floods. His parents had been rescued straightaway. But, with every passing day, they had lost hope for their beloved son. Then, out of the woods he came, with no serious injuries, reunited with his mum and dad—a living symbol of hope.

The truth is that, with the scale of this destruction, with billions of dollars in damage, with bridges and hydro-electric plants levelled and destroyed, Nepal will be rebuilding from these floods for many years and perhaps decades to come. It will be a long road, and New South Wales will stand with the Nepalese, bound together by our incredible members of the Nepalese diaspora. We offer our deepest love and condolences to those affected by this natural disaster, to the loved ones, the parents, the children, to everyone who survived and everyone who will never come home. We are thinking of them. We take inspiration from the president of the Tamang Society of Sydney, who said, "The strongest part of the Nepalese community is that we share both our grief and our happiness together. When incidents like this happen, we support each other. People believe that, after the dark night comes, the beautiful day emerges."

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (13:24:18):

On behalf of the Opposition and the Leader of the Opposition, I express my deepest condolences to the people of Nepal following the devastating floods and loss of life that have unfolded in recent days. Our thoughts and prayers are with every person who has lost a loved one, every family still waiting for news, and every community whose homes, livelihoods and futures have been swept away. The scale of this tragedy is difficult to comprehend. Floodwaters and landslides have caused terrible destruction, leaving families grieving, communities devastated and many people facing an uncertain future. Behind every number is a human life: a parent, a child, a brother, a sister, a friend. Each life lost represents a family and a community forever changed. Today we remember those who have died and extend our heartfelt sympathies to their loved ones. In particular, I pass on again my condolences to a gentleman with whom I have communicated a few times in the recent weeks, Nava, whose wife, Sumi, passed away.

We also acknowledge the extraordinary courage of the emergency responders, volunteers and local communities working in difficult and dangerous conditions to rescue survivors, provide assistance and support those affected. While this tragedy has occurred thousands of kilometres from our shores, its impact is being felt deeply across New South Wales. The Nepalese Australian community is a proud, vibrant and valued part of our great multicultural State. Across the St George area, south-western Sydney, Greater Sydney and throughout New South Wales, Nepalese Australians are mourning, worrying about family members and friends, and trying to make sense of the devastation affecting their homeland. It is deeply personal to everyone across the globe. Many have lost friends and relatives. Others will be waiting anxiously for news. Many will be carrying the trauma of seeing their community and country suffer. To every member of the Nepalese Australian community, I say this on behalf of not only the Opposition but also of everyone else in this House: You are not alone. Your grief is shared by this Parliament, and we stand with you in this incredibly difficult time.

In the wake of the devastating tragedy in Nepal, candlelight vigils have been held across Sydney, including at Martin Place, Strathfield, Auburn and Parramatta, just to name a few. These moving gatherings have brought together members of the Nepalese Australian community, friends and supporters to remember those who have lost their lives, stand with families grieving loved ones, and show solidarity with everyone affected. The vigils have been a powerful demonstration of Sydney's and our State's support for the people of Nepal during this incredibly difficult time.

In response to this tragedy, the Opposition led a roundtable meeting with more than 35 Australian Nepalese community leaders to reach out, listen, and discuss what support is needed. That was an incredibly important opportunity to hear directly from community representatives about the challenges facing their families and communities, both here and overseas. It was about more than expressing condolences. It was about making sure that the voices of the Nepalese Australian community are heard and that the right support is identified in the wake of this disaster. We discussed the importance of supporting those affected overseas, assisting families seeking information about loved ones, and ensuring that people in New South Wales have access to the support they need. We also recognised that the impacts of a tragedy of this scale do not end when the immediate emergency response concludes.

I particularly thank leaders of the Nepalese community for their engagement during this time and the work they have done both here and overseas. They include Pjay Shrestha, Usha Bariya of the Non-Resident Nepali Association [NRNA], former president of the NRNA Anil Pokhrel, former Consul-General of Nepal to New South Wales Deepak Khadka, community leader Rishi Acharya, and Nepalese Penshurst community leader Laxman Shrestha.

Grief, trauma and uncertainty can continue for months and years. That is why we must continue to listen to and reach out to the community, and work with its leaders to ensure that support is available for those who need it. Our multicultural communities are one of the great strengths of New South Wales. In times of tragedy, we see the compassion, generosity and solidarity that bind us together. The Nepalese Australian community has made an enormous contribution to our great State, and we stand beside them as they face this heartbreaking tragedy. We also acknowledge the efforts of governments, emergency services, aid organisations and individuals working to support the people of Nepal. The road to recovery will be long. Communities will need assistance rebuilding homes, restoring services and supporting those who have suffered loss. The New South Wales Opposition and members on both sides of the House stand ready to support efforts to provide assistance and will work constructively with the Nepalese Australian community during this difficult time.

On behalf of the New South Wales Opposition and the Leader of the Opposition, I extend our deepest condolences to the Government and people of Nepal, to all who have lost loved ones, and to every person affected by this devastating disaster. We stand with the Nepalese Australian community. We hear them and share their sorrow. May those who have lost their lives rest in peace. May those still missing be found. May the people of Nepal find strength, hope and solidarity as they begin the long journey towards recovery. I commend the motion to the House.

Debate adjourned.