Motion - Earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria

Wednesday 22 March 2023

 [4.58 p.m.]

Ms ARMITAGE (Launceston) - I rise to make a brief contribution on this important motion and thank the Leader for bringing it to this place.

Any natural disaster which causes loss of life and destruction to property is heart-wrenching.  I can only image the helplessness of those who have looked on at their homes, their neighbourhoods, shops, schools and workplaces and seeing now only rubble.

Of course, this is worse still for people who have lost family, friends and other loved ones in scenes which can only be described as catastrophic.  I, like many others, have seen plenty of footage of the destruction and have shed tears at some of the extraordinary footage of destruction, but also those of rescues.  Seeing little children pulled from wreckage.  Their cries devastating but also indicative of life, emphasise that hope that has only arisen from the disaster that has fallen the Turkish and Syrian people.

This is not even to begin to acknowledge the blood, sweat and tears of those who have worked round the clock to rescue people, and now, to recover remains to bring peace to those who have lost loved ones in this disaster.

So far, over 50 000 people have died and an estimated 28 million people have been affected in both Türkiye and Syria.  That is more than the population of this entire country.  Frankly, it is incomprehensible and to know there is so much suffering on a scale so large right now is so devastating.

I know Tasmania has a strong history of supporting humanitarian efforts to global disasters and this one is no different.  In situations like these, every little bit helps and every little bit counts.

As a country with a number of Syrian and Turkish people living in our communities, I know we all understand there are people here living and working around us who are hurting.

There are few words that can do justice to the absolute devastation that this tragedy has brought to already vulnerable regions of the world.  I join with my fellow members in this place to note the lives lost; the people affected; the high esteem in which we hold the rescue workers; and the efforts which our state and country are making to assist this still-unfolding disaster.