Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yesterday, the member for Chifley, the member for Greenway, who joins us in the chamber, and I hosted a fundraising day for victims of Typhoon Haiyan—or Typhoon Yolanda, as it is known in the Philippines—in which so many people lost their lives and many people were made homeless. I am very pleased to report to the House that around 400 people came to our fundraising day. We believe we raised approximately $10,000 for Caritas and the work that they are doing for the victims of Typhoon Haiyan. It was a very good day. I want to place on record my thanks to the staff of the member for Chifley, the member for Greenway and my staff, as well as the many volunteers who helped out on the day. It was a bittersweet moment. We had a great day, with jumping castles, face painting and lots of fun activities, but we remembered the thousands of people who lost their lives in Typhoon Haiyan. In a very real sense it made our contribution not just a remembrance but a rebuilding.

The Philippines is a wonderful nation with many challenges on its hands. It did not need the extra challenge of this worst ever landfall typhoon that they had to experience in recent weeks. A terrible crisis, a terrible tragedy often takes the world's attention and then we move on very quickly. The world moves on because there is so much to grab our attention. But we need to remain focused on the victims of Typhoon Haiyan and, as we said yesterday at the community day, they will always remain in our thoughts, and our actions and support will always be with them.