James Glenday, Host: Well, let's get you more now on that situation in Nepal and Tibet, and the Minister for International Development and multicultural affairs, Anne Aly, joins us now from Launceston. Anne, welcome back to our program. As we've just heard ‑‑
Anne Aly: Thank you.
Glenday: ‑‑ we've got this update on the number of missing Australians. What more can you tell us about where these people were?
Aly: You're completely right there, James, the number of Australians unaccounted for has now been revised down to 38. That was from an original of 43. You'll recall that one person was located yesterday. Of those that have been located, there were some in Nepal, some in Tibet, and three of them were completely outside the crisis area altogether. The assumption is that they hadn't been able to make contact since the crisis began. We still hold grave concerns for those 38 Australians who are still missing.
Glenday: So 38 still missing. Are you expecting more people to be found? Are communications in this area just so bad that it's difficult to work out exactly where people are?
Aly: Yes, you're right. There are real logistic issues, including communications, to find out where people are. I mean I think it would be good news and a relief to the families of those that have been located thus far, and you know, we're very, very happy about those. But for those families that are still waiting, for those 38 individuals that are unaccounted for, we understand that it's a really concerning time and we'll continue to do whatever we can to try and locate those people.
Glenday: We have seen pictures of an Australian plane heading to Nepal; we know that Australian aid is arriving. What can you tell us about the assistance that the Government's providing?
Aly: The Australian Government has provided $8 million in assistance to the crisis, and I have to also mention here, James, that Australians have generously donated $3.5 million through the Emergency Alliance Appeal, and that's something that I think all Australians can be really proud of.
Yesterday we had an RAAF flight leave Queensland at 8.30 am Eastern Standard time, that is due to arrive at 10 am local time, which is around 2.15 Eastern Standard time today. That aeroplane has essential supplies, including things like solar lights, including hygiene products, including tents and shelters as well. That's due to arrive today.
The $8 million of aid has been distributed through our local partners, but also local NGOs as well. On top of that, Australia has sent 18 response personnel; that's on top of those who are already on the ground over there.
Glenday: You are in Launceston at the moment. We were there a few weeks ago; we know there's a big Nepali community. What sort of support is that community asking you for at the moment?
Aly: I met with the members of the Nepali community last night, we had a roundtable, and I asked them, "How are you going, what is it that you need", expressed our support and our solidarity with them. Understandably, they are at a really high-stress moment at this time with concerns about family and friends in the affected areas.
They're asking for support for mental health; they're asking for support for them to be able to come together and to be able to express a solidarity with each other and have contact with each other.
Obviously in times like this where people are impacted by tragedy and trauma, it is comforting, it's comforting for them to have people around them who know what they're going through, who understand what they're going through, where they can talk, and where they can express how they're feeling freely.
Glenday: Just on another issue, One Nation just won a Lower House seat in your home State at the weekend, of course it was a State by‑election, not a Federal one, but I'm curious as to your view; why do you think One Nation is appealing to some Western Australians at the moment?
Aly: I think there are a lot of factors, I don't think you can bring it down to one particular factor. I think if you ask people why they voted a particular way, they'll give you different answers depending on a range of factors and a range of issues. By‑elections are, you know, standard, they're pretty hard to win for the incumbent.
I think if you listen to some of the commentary that's come out of there from the voters, they are turning to an alternative. They're obviously doing it hard, we understand that; they think that maybe One Nation has the solution. But One Nation didn't offer any solution, it didn't offer any policies, it didn't offer any answers to the issues that they're going through.
We're doing the best that we can, and we're working every day to address the cost of living and make a real change to people's lives.
Glenday: Your party has been so dominant at a State and Federal level in Western Australia. Is One Nation a threat to that?
Aly: You never take anything for granted, James, you're always cognisant of the fact that it's a privilege to serve, it's a privilege to be in Government, you never ever take that for granted, whether it's from a different party, whether that's One Nation, whether that's any other party, you continue to work hard to represent the people who elected you, to pay back the privilege that they conferred on you. You work hard to make a real difference, a real change to people's lives, particularly at times when they're doing it tough as they are now, and that's what we'll continue to do each and every day.
We do not stop. This Labor Government does not stop in everything that we possibly can to ease the cost of living, to make sure that people can get a roof over their heads, to make sure energy costs are coming down, that they have the healthcare that they need when they need it, that they can rely on Medicare and that they can rely on the institutions that provide them with the services that they need.
Glenday: Minister, thank you very much for joining us this morning.
Aly: Pleasure, thank you, James.