Transcript of Yesterday’s Parliamentary Motion at 2pm.

Speakers:

1. Prime Minister John Key
2. Labour Deputy Leader Annette King
3. Green Party Co-Leader Russell Norman
4. Act Party David Garrett
5. Maori Party Co-Leader Dr Pita Sharples
6. Progressive Leader Jim Anderton
7. United Future Peter Dunne
8. Labour Luamanuvao Winnie Laban
9. National Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
10. Labour Su’a William Sio

Pacific Islands—Tsunami

Hon JIM ANDERTON (Leader—Progressive) : None of us know for certain how we would react under extreme circumstances but most of us would like to hope that we would be capable, in the terrifying reality and aftermath of a tsunami like this, of behaving with the same courage, dignity, generosity, and determination as our Samoan cousins have shown to the world. To put this disaster in context, on a population basis 3,330 New Zealanders would have died under similar circumstances. The Samoan tsunami deaths represent over 13 times the number of people killed in the Mount Erebus crash, 22 times the number who died in the Tangiwai rail disaster, 238 times the number who died at Cave Creek, and 62 times the number who drowned in the Wahine disaster. In the United States of America this tragedy would have registered 231,397 deaths, compared with the 3,025 who died in the twin towers disaster. It sometimes requires us, I think, for small countries like Samoa, to register those kinds of comparisons in order to realise the impact this tragedy will have on that small nation.

That New Zealand hearts have gone out to our Samoan neighbours at this time of crisis is clear to everyone. That people with skills who can help, or with money to contribute for immediate aid as well as reconstruction, have all been doing so generously, is as it should be. One always knows who one’s friends are at a time of great need, and at no time in my lifetime have New Zealanders and Samoans felt closer than they do today.