Craig Thomson (Dobell, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Trish Wilson from my region in the Central Coast leaves today for the West African nation of Sierra Leone to take part in a very worthwhile mission aboard a medical ship. Democracy is slowly being re-established in Sierra Leone after a brutal civil war from 1991 to 2002, which resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of more than two million people—about a third of the population. The recent history has left a legacy of trauma amongst its people. The trauma continues to be a source of many medical problems and the relatively small country simply cannot cope. Sierra Leone is an extremely poor nation with about 70 per cent of the population living below the poverty line.

Trish will be providing backup and support for 430 crew and medical staff aboard the floating hospital berthed in the port of the capital city of Freetown over the next eight to 10 months as a volunteer. She will be based in the dining room and kitchen areas aboard the ship, helping to feed the crew and give them sustenance for the great work they are doing to help the Sierra Leoneans. The ship is offering free medical care including eye surgery and dental and reconstructive surgery. It has six operating theatres and 100 recovery beds aboard and is run by a Christian organisation.

This is another great example of the wonderful work that volunteers do, whether it is at home or abroad, and they should be commended for the time and effort that they put in to help others. Today I would particularly like to recognise Trish Wilson but I also want to thank the many thousands of volunteers who live in my region on the Central Coast, for their ongoing efforts.