Sam Lim (Tangney, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, member for Riverina, for your kind words. It was a privilege to be a political scrutineer for a federal election of Vanuatu, which took place on 13 November 2022. I want to thank Minister Wong for inviting me to participate in this important democratic process. In my few short days in Vanuatu I learned much. The people of Vanuatu are so kind. They do not have much, but they are genuine. They do not have any possessions, but they are grateful. I saw many people with no shoes but with big smiles on their faces. I was touched and humbled by their spirits.

A memory that will stay with me is the process to deliver the ballot box. Ballot boxes were delivered by police officers, from the police station, delivering the ballot box on foot. This involved walking for days, crossing rivers and streams, to get to remote communities so that people living in these communities could have their say. After votes were placed, the police officers had to carry the lot back to where they started their journey from. This goes to show how much work the democratic process can take in developing countries. We should never take this for granted in Australia.

The people of Vanuatu have a great deal of respect for Australians. There is a strong bond between our two countries. It is like a brother-sister relationship. Australia is proud to be Vanuatu's largest development, humanitarian and security partner. The people of Vanuatu recognise the support the Australian government provides to them. Our partnership is going from strength to strength. The ties within our Pacific family will continue to deepen. The Australian government will continue to offer support and assistance to our brothers and sisters in Vanuatu. Our region faces challenges, but we will face them together beside one another. I thank the people of Vanuatu for giving me such a warm welcome. I went to Vanuatu to work, but I came back with many friends.

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