Motion on Australian Red Cross
15/10/2014
The Hon. K.L. VINCENT: I take the floor to speak very briefly on behalf of Dignity for Disability in support of the Hon. John Dawkins’ motion celebrating the centenary year—100 years—of the Red Cross in Australia. I would like to reiterate and support the many positive comments that have been made by previous speakers about the work that the Red Cross has done, and continues to do.
As canvassed by my fellow colleagues, the Australian Red Cross provides the community with significant and important humanitarian services locally, nationally and internationally. The work of the Red Cross is invaluable to the most vulnerable in our community, whether that be those requiring a blood transfusion, refugees looking for lost family members, elderly people needing transport or children who need breakfast before they start school. The Red Cross provides services and runs programs for all of these groups, and many others in need.
The work I would particularly like to illustrate is the important work the Red Cross is currently carrying out in West Africa, where there has been—as I am sure all members would be aware—the deadliest outbreak of the Ebola virus we have ever seen.
Australians, including the Cairns nurse who was featured in the news bulletins last week, continue to volunteer locally and abroad to ensure that people can lead full and healthy lives. In the case of Ebola, heading to West Africa is riskier than your average volunteering experience, but Australians and many others continue to put themselves in harm’s way to uphold the humanity principle of the Red Cross, which I quote:
…born of a desire to bring assistance without discrimination to the wounded on the battlefield, endeavours, in its international and national capacity, to prevent and alleviate human suffering wherever it may be found. Its purpose is to protect life and health and ensure respect for the human being. It promotes mutual understanding, friendship, co-operation and lasting peace amongst all people.
It is also interesting to note the basic principles that drive the work of the Red Cross: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality—pretty reasonable concepts, I would have thought, especially at a time like this. I commend the Red Cross for their ongoing important work and commend the motion to the chamber.
