Australian PM Pays Emotional Tribute to Natural Disaster Victims

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Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard held back tears as she gave a condolence speech at parliament in memory of flood victims. Gillard has been criticized for not showing enough empathy during the various disasters this summer.

Australia's parliament met for the first time this year on Tuesday.

Political parties put hostilities on hold as they paid tribute to those who died during a summer of natural disasters.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who has been criticized for not showing enough empathy during the emergencies, became visibly emotional as she led a bipartisan condolence speech.

[Julia Gillard, Australian Prime Minister]:
"I move that the house acknowledges with great sadness the devastation occasioned by this summer's natural disasters including unprecedented floods, Cyclone Yasi and bushfires, extends its deepest sympathies to the families of those who have lost loved ones."

She paid special tribute to thousands of volunteers and rescue workers, displaying an Australian flag given to her by the crew of a rescue helicopter.

[Julia Gillard, Australian Prime Minister]:
"These helicopters continued with their search and rescue in the days to come and they found this flag mister speaker and I was honored when they gave it to me."

She also told of local heroes that emerged from touching rescue stories.

[Julia Gillard, Australian Prime Minister]:
"I spoke to them of courage, the courage it takes to keep filling sand bags even when your back is breaking, the courage it takes to hold your nerve in the dark as the cyclone races around you, the courage it takes to tell your children to run across the railway line, knowing it is dangerous, knowing they could fall but knowing it is their only hope of getting to safety, the courage it takes for a young boy, 13-year-old boy Jordan Rice to say to his rescuers, take my brother first and before that brave rescuer could return, Jordan and mum Donna were taken by the flood but the legend of Jordan's amazing courage will go on."

Floods in the northern Queensland state alone killed 35 people, with nine still missing, inundated 30,000 homes and wiped out roads, rail lines and bridges.

Destructive floods also swept through New South Wales and Victoria states, a massive category five cyclone hit northern Queensland and ferocious bushfires have destroyed more than 60 homes around the Western Australian capital of Perth.

Opposition leader Tony Abbott also paid tribute to volunteers and rescue workers and commended Gillard for her efforts.

[Tony Abbott, Opposition Leader]:
"I rise to support the motion so eloquently moved by the prime minister, we have lived through a summer of disaster, a summer of flood, of storm, of fire, it is right that this parliament should pause at some length to reflect on that to mourn the death, to offer words of comfort to the suffering, to congratulate everyone who has responded to this with courage, with professionalism and with good old-fashioned Aussie grit and also may I say, mister speaker, to congratulate the prime minister for the effort that she has made over recent weeks and again today to be with the victims of the floods."

The bipartisanism is unlikely to last very long, with the government and opposition still arguing over how to pay for disaster recovery.

Economists estimate the floods and cyclone damage to be more than $10 billion with the national government to pay around 75 percent of the costs.

Category:

News & Politics

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• australian pm
• julia gillard
• Tribute
• Disaster
• Victims
• flood victims
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• bipartisan
• floods

[metamorphosis743]

3 people got drowned in the floods:-(

[whitesparkelectrics]

Crocodile tears,totally useless, these are mild pittiful terms about this awfull human being.This women who overnight went from Kevins best mate lying to us on T.V to stabbing him in the back next day, all for her own self glory of being P.M,something she's aspired to be since the age of 7 according to her own parents. I ASK ! WHAT 7 YEAR OLD CHILD PLAYS AT BEING A PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA As SHE DID.Because Of her we will all live in POVERTY before the year is out , MY GOD CARBON TAX ?.

[cliptwingz]

Seriously, re the above, they should be sending in the engineers to examine the tornado wreckage, to better see how tornado proof dwellings can be constructed, in the unforunate event that one was stuck in one during one.

[cliptwingz]

If it keeps them out of jail, or the fear of going to jail away, they love the suffering of their detractors.

[markscott7777777]

she is not a faker, she is a fervent republican, who couldnt wait to go to the royal wedding. people need to stop glorifying all politicians.

that teary stunt that she pulled in parliament was a joke. she doesnt give a shite about any of you, any of you and neither do any of her fellow MPs.

dont forget to get your totally safe and thoroughly tested flu shot that has no side effects and when it fucks you up, nae luck, its your fault.

never question authority, obey without question.

[lovett1993]

@theblackash wat i need to go see a therapist because i think jullia gillard's fake ... mabye u should be the 1 to see a therapist if u cant even understand that im not talking bout the people that died im only talking about gillard

[theblackash]

@lovett1993 She was very upset about some australians that passed away. and all you can think of is wow she looks fake. What a total act of bastardry on your part to pecieve it that way. It just goes to show how fucked up some australians actually are. and worst of all how they think. You need to go and see a theropist.

[lovett1993]

@theblackash im not talking about what happened im talking about julia gillard ... go fuck urself

[theblackash]

Julia you are awesome. I liked kevin but julia is even better.

[theblackash]

@woodyangus There is nothing fake about her. It just goes to show how some ugly australians actually think. woodyangus you are an asshole.