Many constituents of Werriwa come from Turkiye and Syria, and I am privileged to know so many of them and call them my friends. They have been deeply affected by the earthquake and aftershocks that struck the region on 6 February. The enormity of the disaster is difficult to imagine. In less than a week, over a million people have been left homeless in the depths of winter and more than 41,000 are dead. Moreover, 13 million people are estimated to be affected across Turkiye. Unfortunately, casualties are expected to continue to climb. I extend my sincere condolences to all those affected in Turkiye and Syria and thank those in our community who are organising aid. I also offer them my condolences for the friends and family they have lost.

Australia has promised $10 million in humanitarian assistance and has sent an Australian disaster assistance response team. I wish all the Australian search and rescue members all the best and thank them for their service and their volunteerism. I know it is going to be an incredibly tough time for so many in my community and communities across Australia. We stand with you from this parliament. I encourage all Australians that want to help to donate to the Australian Council for International Development member organisations the Australian Red Cross or UNICEF. Both have launched appeals.

Link to Hansard: Full Speech