Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to incorporate two answers to questions raised by Senator Bob Brown and Senator Bernardi.

Leave granted.

The answers read as follows—

SENATOR BOB BROWN—CRISIS RESPONSE CENTRE—ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Further to my answer of yesterday, Senator Brown’s question can be best addressed in the broader context of disaster response arrangements already in place in Australia and the region.

As I noted yesterday, Australia has shown a great deal of capability to quickly mobilise civilian and military resources to respond to humanitarian crises. AusAID has responsibility for managing Australia’s overseas aid program, including humanitarian assistance to overseas countries after disasters. This includes coordinating with Emergency Management Australia, and, as necessary, other government departments and agencies, to deliver financial, technical and physical assistance.

Australia is also a strong participant in a number of regional initiatives, including through the Association of South East Asian Nations and the ASEAN Regional Forum. Just two week ago Australia and Indonesia hosted a major ASEAN Regional Forum disaster relief exercise involving 25 countries with the aim of enhancing regional capacities to cooperate in response to natural disasters. This is in addition to Australian support for, and cooperation with, international disaster relief efforts, including through the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Of course, the tragedy of the current situation in Burma is that the country’s government refuses to allow access by qualified international humanitarian relief experts. As the Prime Minister said in the House yesterday, Australia is continuing to work with its friends and partners in the region to press the Burmese government to improve on their response to the crisis, which has been demonstrably inadequate.

I note the press release issued by Senator Brown yesterday that he has also written directly to the Prime Minister on this matter.

I understand the Prime Minister has now received this letter and will provide Senator Brown with a considered response in due course.

RESPONSE TO A QUESTION TAKEN ON NOTICE FROM SENATOR BERNARDI ON MARCH 18 2008 REGARDING THE GOVERNMENT’S SPORTS COMMITMENTS

Answer to the question is as follows:

The information relating to the Government’s commitments to upgrade local communities’ club facilities is all on the available public record.

The total cost of these commitments exceeds $100 million. These facilities include:

Adelaide North East Hockey Club pitch and facility upgrade Bathurst Cricket Club

Blackwood Football Club

Bungendore Swimming Pool Upgrade

Campbelltown Stadium upgrade

Cook Park Soccer grounds- spectator seating

Gawler Soccer Club

Helensburgh Netball Club

Capstone Netball Complex

Mt Gravatt Youth and Recreation Club

Palm Island, Community Sports Field

Penrith Valley Sports Centre – Resurface courts

Redlands United Soccer Club Rokeby Cricket Club

Surf Lifesaving Education Program, NSW Central Coast Tuncurry/Foster Football Club