Senator REYNOLDS (Western Australia) (14:39): Thank you very much. My question is to the Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Senator Fierravanti-Wells.

Opposition senators: Yes!

Senator REYNOLDS: It’s great to see the enthusiasm from those opposite! Can the minister please advise the Senate of the impact of the recent earthquake in Papua New Guinea and also of the Australian government’s support?

Senator FIERRAVANTI-WELLS (New South Wales—Minister for International Development and the Pacific) (14:40): I thank Senator Reynolds for the question. On 26 February, a 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck the Highlands region of Papua New Guinea, and since then aftershocks have impacted on the region. The UN has estimated the earthquakes have tragically left over 125 people dead and affected half a million people, with over 270,000 people in need of immediate humanitarian assistance.

As a close neighbour, we are deeply saddened by the devastation and the loss of life. We are playing a significant role supporting the PNG government’s relief efforts, through emergency supplies and specialist personnel, transport and distribution in affected areas. These efforts are assisting to help affected communities re-establish their livelihoods, repair and rebuild infrastructure, and restore water and sanitation.

The foreign minister is currently in Papua New Guinea and has seen firsthand the extensive damage caused as well as the critical assistance and support that Australia is providing. Yesterday she announced an additional $3.4 million in humanitarian assistance, which will bring our total earthquake response to $5 million. This includes $3 million for Australian and PNG non-government organisations that are active in the Highlands region to support recovery in sectors like agriculture and health. As part of our package, we are also providing support to vulnerable women and children in the affected areas. We’re also assisting with electrical transformers to re-establish reliable power supplies in the affected provinces. There are humanitarian supplies, and an AUSMAT, an Australian medical assistance team, is assisting with the coordination of help to the affected areas. I also commend the work that the Australian Defence Force have done. They have played a vital role, as they always do, by helping to transport over 300 tonnes of Australian and partner humanitarian supplies we have deployed. (Time expired)

The PRESIDENT: Senator Reynolds, a supplementary question.

Senator REYNOLDS (Western Australia) (14:42): I thank the minister for her answer. Can the minister also advise how other recent natural disasters in some of our neighbouring countries have affected countries in our region?

Senator FIERRAVANTI-WELLS (New South Wales—Minister for International Development and the Pacific) (14:42): Last month, Tropical Cyclone Gita hit Tonga, Samoa and Fiji, causing devastation, particularly in Tonga, where it hit as a category 4 cyclone. It caused serious casualties and extensive damage. We are responding to calls by the Tongan government for assistance, including with crisis response teams and, again, the Australian Defence Force, with a total response of $3.5 million. The foreign minister and I will visit Tonga later this week to see firsthand the damage that has been caused, to meet some of the families, to meet some of the Australian volunteers who have been working there, and to see what further assistance the government may need in responding to this crisis. The assistance that we’ve given has included life-saving equipment, emergency shelter, and kitchen and hygiene kits that have helped to assist over 2,000 people in need.

The PRESIDENT: Senator Reynolds, a final supplementary question.

Senator REYNOLDS (Western Australia) (14:43): Can the minister also advise the Senate why it’s important for Australia to assist our neighbours with disasters such as Tropical Cyclone Gita and the Papua New Guinea earthquake?

Senator FIERRAVANTI-WELLS (New South Wales—Minister for International Development and the Pacific) (14:43): Australia has a responsibility to help a neighbour in need and to respond to the sorts of requests that we have received from our Pacific neighbours when disaster strikes. This is expected of us not just as neighbours and friends but also by the international community as a leader in our region.

We live in one of the most disaster-prone areas in the world. Between 2015 and 2016, more than 1.7 billion people have been affected by disasters in the region, and this represents 84 per cent of people affected worldwide by disasters. Of course, Australia directly benefits from a safe and prosperous Pacific region, and, by assisting our Pacific island neighbours to recover as quickly as possible from disasters, we are contributing to the stability, the security and the prosperity of our region.