OPINION: What should our Government consider when it comes to offering global humanitarian assistance?
And I ask that because did anyone else feel that New Zealand’s contribution to Turkey is underwhelming?
New Zealand, in recent memory, knows better than most what it is to lose life and livelihoods in a major earthquake. Kiwis stepped up and donated and gave everything they could to help Christchurch, and so did the international community.
Do you know how much Tonga gave to the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal 13 years ago? They gave a massive $705k. That is a significant contribution from a small, underdeveloped island nation.
Rescue crews arrived from Japan, the UK, Taiwan, the US, and Australia….and from many other nations too. Singapore brought a contingent of military staff, and a 55-strong Disaster Assistant and Relief Team as well. If you spent time in Christchurch, you could be forgiven for thinking you were networking at the United Nations. The accents in the city were Italian and Israeli and Irish...and everything in between. The world stepped up to help us.
And this time yesterday I anticipated that we would do the same with Turkey. The impact of those earthquakes is beyond comprehension for most. The number of people affected? It's too soon to say. But the number of dead could be in the tens of thousands. And hundreds of thousands have been affected – maybe more considering Turkey is a country of 80 million people. The World Health Organisation estimates some 23 million people are 'exposed'.
Chris Hipkins was one-half of an ANZAC bubble yesterday and he stood beside Anthony Albanese as the Australian Prime Minister pledged AU$10 million as a starting point. Hipkins then said New Zealand would send NZ$1.5 million. I cringed. New Zealand? The Shakey Isles? And that's the best we could do? It felt like a token afterthought. There was no suggestion we were looking at a search and rescue team, no suggestion that New Zealand was in dialogue with Turkey to see what we could offer in terms of earthquake expertise. What do they need? How can we help? Could we provide some expertise?
No. Just $1.5 million for Turkey.
And it's at times like that that it's worth remembering we gave $2.75 million to the Mongrel Mob for a meth rehab programme. We gave more to the Mob than we did to a nation flattened by an earthquake.
I remember the remarkable acts of generosity that flowed into New Zealand after the Christchurch quakes, and when I heard $1.5 million....well, it makes us look mean.
What about support for children? What about milk powder? It’s winter in Turkey. It’s snowing. New Zealand can do better than a flippant $1.5 million offered after a lunch with the Australian PM in Canberra.
Hipkins says more support is available “if necessary”. A quick look at the BBC and Hipkins would have realised that further support 'is' necessary. And it could come in many forms. Our defence force is training Ukrainians to use weaponry in the UK. I know we have specialist teams in our defence force and our urban search and research - our USAR Taskforce - who could provide Turkey with vital expertise too.
So, thank you to the rest of the world who mobilized to help New Zealand in our time of need – in our years of need -- and here’s our $1.5 million for Turkey. Thoughts and prayers people. Thanks for your help in the past, but we’ll sit this one out. New Zealand can offer so much more and we should - it’s our turn to return the favour.
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