Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Hansard source

Last month, Tropical Cyclone Gita hit Tonga, Samoa and Fiji, causing devastation, particularly in Tonga, where it hit as a category 4 cyclone. It caused serious casualties and extensive damage. We are responding to calls by the Tongan government for assistance, including with crisis response teams and, again, the Australian Defence Force, with a total response of $3.5 million. The foreign minister and I will visit Tonga later this week to see firsthand the damage that has been caused, to meet some of the families, to meet some of the Australian volunteers who have been working there, and to see what further assistance the government may need in responding to this crisis. The assistance that we've given has included life-saving equipment, emergency shelter, and kitchen and hygiene kits that have helped to assist over 2,000 people in need.