Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

on indulgence—Today we pause as a parliament to mark a loss beyond words, a tragedy beyond comprehension and an unfairness beyond understanding. What happened at Greta in the Hunter Valley was a cruel end to what should have been one of the happiest of days. We all know that joy of going to a wedding, and so many of us know that feeling of getting on a bus with fellow guests, partly as a chance to share the excitement but partly because the bride and groom organised that in order to keep their guests safe. We know that feeling of getting together with friends and family to celebrate the happy couple—to celebrate the love between two people and their declaration of spending a lifetime together and around those friends and family, gathering around them and holding them at the heart of what is their local community. A wedding is about both the seriousness and the joy of commitment. It's about a beautiful new beginning, and every wedding is filled with such a sense of possibility about the future. It makes what happened on Sunday night all the more cruel.

We hold on to the memory of all those whose lives were tragically cut short. Our hearts go out to all the survivors and to all the loved ones who now have this most terrible of burdens. Our thoughts and love are with the newlyweds, who will never know the easy joy of an anniversary. May everyone around them somehow find a way to lift them up. We think, too, of the tight-knit community that is the Hunter. They are hurting so badly right now.

I do want, on behalf of the parliament, to give our thanks to the first responders. We again have been reminded by those who arrived at this terrible scene that we cannot imagine what they were confronted with or what they had to deal with, but, as they always do, they did their job. They did their best looking after people, trying to save lives and to assist in the recovery at what was clearly just a horrific scene. So to them but, as well, to those who continued to assist in the following hours and days—the doctors and nurses, the police and emergency services, those who transported the injured to the hospital, the counsellors and those on Lifeline who undoubtedly have received so many calls from people affected by this tragedy—I say, once again, thank you.

I also say thank you to those people who will continue to assist in the days, weeks, months and years ahead. The hard truth is that the mental and emotional scars of this will not fade with time. They will live with people forever. We have a responsibility to make sure that, when the spotlight leaves, the care doesn't, for the people who have witnessed this and for the people who have experienced this tragedy firsthand.

To everyone who has been touched by this tragedy: I do want you to know that Australia wraps our arms around you. Australians' hopes and Australians' prayers are with you at what is an extraordinarily difficult and traumatic time for our community.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

on indulgence—I thank the Prime Minister for his heartfelt words and I join with him in reflecting on the tragedy of Sunday night. Since the news of this horrific event broke, the outpouring of our national grief has been palpable—our heartbreak for those who lost their lives, our heartache for the families and friends whose lives will be forever altered by this disaster and our heartfelt hopes for those injured to make a speedy recovery. Our profound national sadness, which surrounds this terrible event, comes from a deep human empathy.

A wedding day, as the Prime Minister rightly points out, is one of the most joyous occasions we know. But the happiness of this wedding day has been eclipsed by a dreadful, dreadful event. Life's terrible moments are all the more tragic when they sit adjacent to life's most beautiful moments, and we empathise with those affected all the more. For so many of us, who've been passengers on a bus journeying home from a wonderful wedding, we can picture how those aboard that fateful bus would've been fondly reminiscing about the evening's festivities—the stories, the speeches, the music, the dancing and the smiles of the bride and groom.

What all those involved are going through, what they will have to endure, is simply awful. As news of this disaster spread around the nation, I'm sure that, for so many Australians, their phone calls with family would have felt even more precious. Their embraces with loved ones would've been a little tighter. Their time together with those dearest to them would've been all that more special. This tragedy reinforces to all of us to never take our precious relationships for granted, to value the moments we have with family and with friends and to always cherish those closest to us because life can be unpredictably cruel.

I echo the Prime Minister's thanks to our first responders, whose courage and composure is nothing short of heroic. We often comment in this parliament, following a tragedy of this nature, about the fact the first responders run into harm's way when the instinct of most Australians would be to run from it. Australians have heard the audio of the ambulance officer calling for help in a calm and measured way—a reflection of his training—not really giving rise to the pressure that he was under and those around him were feeling. I want to thank all of those in our hospitals and our healthcare system who will support those affected over the coming days, months and years.

In moments such as these, our expression of thoughts, prayers and hopes to those affected can feel powerless. But, on the contrary, there is power in those sentiments because they show those affected directly and indirectly that we care for you. We are here for you. It's our promise to you that you will never have to travel the road of tragedy alone. We bind ourselves to you in this duty, driven by the empathy and love we have for you as fellow citizens. Wherever and whenever you need strength and support, you'll find it unconditionally. We send our heartfelt sense of grief for those in the Hunter region at the moment, as the Prime Minister pointed out, who are doing it particularly tough—those at the wedding venue, those who were involved in photographs and those who were involved in preparations for other weddings over the course of that weekend—and make sure that we promise, as a country, to provide support to those in their darkest hour.

Dan Repacholi (Hunter, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

on indulgence—I thank the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition for their kind words. I rise to address the tragic incident that occurred in my community on Sunday night, the tragic bus crash in Branxton-Greta, that has left us deeply saddened and shaken. My heart goes out to the victims, their families and all of those affected by this terrible event.

On Sunday night, shortly before midnight, a bus carrying 35 people overturned whilst approaching a roundabout on Wine Country Drive near the small towns of Branxton and Greta in my electorate. Ten of the bus passengers have passed away and 14 passengers are still currently in hospital, with two in intensive care. The passengers were travelling back to their accommodation, having just celebrated a wedding.

Loss of life is always painful, but the abruptness of this event makes this tragedy particularly shocking and difficult to process. First and foremost, I want to offer a huge thank you to the first responders who attended the crash site on Sunday night. They arrived at a confronting scene and worked hard into the night to save lives and minimise injuries. They are heroes. I would like to thank the New South Wales ambulance, the Branxton Greta Fire and Rescue New South Wales team and the police officers from across the Hunter Valley Police District, as well as many other first responders who attended the scene on Sunday night. I would also like to thank staff at the hospitals across the Hunter and New South Wales who are caring for the hospitalised. You are not only in the minds of the people across the Hunter but also those of people across the entire nation.

Our community is in the early stages of grieving, and my heart goes out to everyone affected by this tragic event. Either directly or indirectly, we are all impacted by this tragedy. Being a wedding, victims of this bus crash were not just from the Hunter; victims came from all other parts of Australia as well. The grieving is not just happening in my electorate but all over this country. The outpouring of support from across Australia is a tremendous resource for everyone affected. We know that we are not alone, and I would like to thank all of my friends in this place from both sides of the chamber who have reached out to me over the last few days. We know we are in the thoughts and prayers of so many people. My office has received offers of accommodation, transport and other practical resources for the loved ones of victims who have had to make their way up to the Hunter and the hospitals in the wider area.

One of the many things that makes the Hunter special is that we are a tightknit community, and events like this bring us even closer together. This event has brought out the best in our community. I am so grateful to see that; it's a source of comfort for so many. But this is a tough time for everyone; it's okay not to be okay, and support is available for you if you need it. Local emergency management committees for Singleton council and Cessnock City Council have been set up, and these committees have support resources available, including drop-in clinics staffed with mental health workers. If you're any having trouble getting access to any of the support you need, another option is just to reach out to my office. Please do not hesitate to ask for support if you need it. We'll get through this together. As a community, we'll mourn, undoubtedly, the lives we have lost, but we must strive to heal and rebuild. As a community, we will come together and support one another during this difficult time. Whether it will be through organising counselling services, fundraising efforts or simply just being there for each other, we can provide strength and solidarity in need to overcome this tragedy.

Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the lives that were lost. Let us remember the victims with love and respect, and honour their memory by committing ourselves to creating a safer and more compassionate community. Together, we can emerge from the dark of this moment stronger and more united than ever before. My heart goes out to the families and loved ones of the victims of this terrible event. No words can adequately convey the pain and grief you are all experiencing right now. Please know that our community stands beside you in this time of immense sorrow, and we offer our support in any way we can. By looking out for each other and by coming together we will be okay.

In memory of the victims, please take the time today to call loved ones who are far away, to hug someone that you love and remember just how precious life is. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As a mark of respect for those who have lost their lives, I ask all present to rise in their places.

Honourable members having stood in their places—