Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I acknowledge that that was an extremely thoughtful contribution from the member for Newcastle, and very well said. I would like to express my condolences to the Japanese people as well.

I am very fortunate to have had fantastic Japanese hospitality on three separate occasions. When I was working with the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, I was fortunate enough to be a guest of the Japanese government under a program that the Japanese Prime Minister and the Australian Prime Minister had launched, a young business leaders exchange. There were 25 young Australian businesspeople who went to Japan as guests of the Japanese government. We had two weeks in the country and we received extraordinary hospitality. We travelled widely throughout Japan and, without exception, everyone we met welcomed us and was willing to teach us about every aspect of their culture, society and economy. You could not wish for a more insightful experience than we had in undertaking such an exchange program.

I also took two trips to Japan as a trade adviser. At that time, Japan was our No. 1 trading partner, a very important economic partner to Australia. We were working closely with them in the World Trade Organisation. They hosted, very successfully, a World Trade Organisation mini-ministerial meeting in Tokyo, and once again their hospitality was extraordinary. In addition, on a separate bilateral visit, we undertook visits to Toyota and also Toshiba, where, among other things, they have a very good nuclear program where they build reactors.

Having seen that aspect of Japan gave me great confidence in recent times, knowing that, if anyone could deal with what was taking place at Fukushima, it was the Japanese, because their knowledge and the technology that goes into building their reactors is world class. I think we have seen that displayed not only in their commitment to making sure that everything is being done to avoid a complete meltdown of the facilities—and they have, hopefully, avoided that—but also in the way that the staff have been prepared to risk serious injury and even, potentially, levels of radiation that could lead to death to make sure the reactors do not melt down. I think their example is an absolute inspiration to all of us, globally.

Following the events in Japan, the death toll is around 9,000, with still another 13,000 reported missing. Sadly, those figures are a testimony to what has occurred—the sheer horror of the earthquake, and the tsunami that followed. It beggars belief that in today’s world we can see such devastation by a natural disaster, especially given that we are looking at an incredibly modern and sophisticated economy.

We have 350,000 people in shelters. The fact that so many have lost their homes and lives in this natural disaster brings up images of something you would expect to have seen in the 15th or 16th century. To have 350,000 people to house with winter lingering—and we have seen snow—is going to require incredible logistics. I do not think there is any other country in the world where you could look to a government and a people to provide such logistical support. I have no doubt that the Japanese government will do everything in their power to make sure that those 350,000 people are as comfortable as they possibly can be.

In terms of the nuclear plant, we have had 177,000 people evacuated from a zone around the plant. Once again, logistically it is incredibly difficult for the Japanese government to organise, but the fact that they have done it in a way that has not led to mass panic is a credit to them and a credit to how the society operates. You only have to go and spend some time on the Japanese subway to see how efficient, organised and polite the Japanese people are. They are very fortunate given what has happened and the way it has been dealt with. It is very much the nature of the Japanese people that has led to this not being a bigger disaster than it has been. Once again, full credit goes to the Japanese people for that.

We have got a total of 442,000 households without electricity. There are 1.4 million households without running water and 14,637 buildings that have been completely destroyed. That is nearly 15,000 buildings just wiped off the face of the map. It beggars belief. It is something that you would think you would see in a Hollywood movie rather than something we were seeing live on our TV screens.

The impact on their economy is going to be stark. The cost could range from $122 billion to $235 billion, 2.5 to four per cent of their GDP, and Japan will require huge assistance from around the globe to deal with this. It is pleasing to know that 128 countries and 33 international organisations have offered assistance as of Saturday to the Japanese government. I think that we in Australia and across the region in particular are going to have to do all we can to help the Japanese economy recover. It is an important economy for us here in Australia, but it is also an important economy for the region. We should not forget how generous the Japanese have been throughout their economic success. There is no country that has given as much in terms of aid regionally than the Japanese government, and given their generosity, I think it is beholden on us here in Australia and across the region and globally to make sure that in this hour of need we returned that favour to the Japanese.

I will end my condolence speech there, but I would once again say to the Japanese people and the government that our hearts are with you, our thoughts are with you, and I would hope—and I am sure that it will be the case—that our government stands ready, willing and able to help the Japanese people and the Japanese government in any way that we can.

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