25 March 2009
China: further assistance for earthquake reconstruction
Today I visited the earthquake affected city of Dujiangyan in Sichuan Province, China, to see the reconstruction effort first hand. The scale of the devastation is enormous. Australia continues to help China recover from this terrible tragedy.
Following my visit, I announce a further A$275,000 to assist earthquake reconstruction. The additional funding will support six projects in Sichuan and neighbouring Gansu Provinces.
The first of these projects will support a local NGO, the Dujiangyan Red Cross, to refurbish 80 newly reconstructed health clinics.
The other five projects receiving Australian support are to:
- construct a water supply system to supply 400 households in Guanyindian Township, where a significant aftershock was experienced
- rebuild and expand the water supply system in Sichuan’s Lianfeng Village to enable it to provide safe water to 800 families
- build a new 1,000 seat dining hall, cafeteria, kitchen and storage room for the HeiShui Middle School in Sichuan
- build a new, larger primary school at Yaoping Village in Gansu to replace the one destroyed during the earthquake
- repair and expand the Nianba Township Health Clinic in Gansu Province, which provides health services to 12,000 people in 14 villages over an area of 196 square kilometres.
This new assistance builds on the A$2.75 million the Australian Government contributed last year to earthquake relief, and the additional A$8.75 million donated by Australian State and Territory Governments, companies and individuals.
Media inquiries: Mr Smith's office 02 6277 7500 - Departmental Media Liaison 02 6261 1555