Remarks at the announcement of $30 million from Abu Dhabi to Queensland for cyclone shelters

Subjects: Gulf Cooperation Council Business Mission.

Transcript, E&OE, proof only

Brisbane

9 May 2011

KEVIN RUDD: Well ladies and gentlemen, let me just say publicly how much I appreciate the work that we've put in, together with the Queensland Government led by Premier Anna Bligh, and of course with Her Excellency, the Minister of State from the United Arab Emirates, and the rest of the GCC delegation who are here with us today in Brisbane.

This is an important visit for us, both in Australia, the nation, welcoming delegations from the Gulf, but also here in our home state of Queensland.

As all of you know, and part of the reason for being here is that we've had a few rough times of late. We've been through the odd natural disaster or two, but Queensland has come out fighting and the economy has bounced back. Queensland is open for business.

And part of what we're seeking to do is to make sure that we are making it very clear to our friends right across the Arab world and right across the Gulf that we are open for business opportunities, for investment opportunities, trade opportunities and all the support that can be provided for this will be given readily by both the Australian Government and the Queensland Government, and I'm sure our partners in the Gulf as well.

So this is important stuff. This is a vibrant and diverse economy, with many strengths. You've seen the briefings this morning, but I believe we can do a whole lot more together.

We acknowledge the Premier's role in recognising the significance of the Gulf to the economy here and for the Australian economy.

Queensland was the first Australian state to open a trade representative office in Abu Dhabi. She herself opened it back in 2009 and she herself has invested a lot of intellectual effort, time and energy into expanding this state's economic relationship with the Gulf.

There's one other thing though and that is I've been touched enormously, personally, by the level of interest and concern expressed to me by the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council about the recent Queensland natural disasters, the floods and the cyclones. And one after the other, they were in contact with me expressing their deep sense of solidarity and support.

Now you'd be familiar with the contribution which Etihad made to the Queensland Flood Appeal, a contribution of some $1 million, and this was a strong indication of real support to those in need and those suffering from these floods, and we again pay tribute to Etihad for their generosity.

I've also discussed the floods with the leaders of the UAE, with Sheikh Mohammed from Abu Dhabi in particular and Sheikh Abdullah, the Foreign Minister of the UAE, both of whom — and led by Sheikh Mohammed — have exhibited a deep and personal interest in how they help Queensland deal with the floods and deal with our resilience for future natural disasters as well.

And I know from my most recent conversation with the crown prince that he also is very keen to make a personal contribution to Queensland's future natural disaster resilience.

So on that if I might turn to our dear friend and colleague, the Minister of State from the UAE, as I understand she might have an announcement to make.

REEM EBRAHIM AL HASHEMI: Thank you Minister Rudd, Premier Bligh, distinguished friends and guests. It is a pleasure to be with you today with old friends and new to learn more about Queensland and our mutual interests.

In the last few months we have seen a great deal of television coverage of the natural disasters, particularly flooding, that have ravaged your state.

What has struck me particularly is the strength and resilience of the Queensland people. Suffering natural disasters akin to Hurricane Katrina, your advanced preparation minimised the tragic loss of life. The outpouring of neighbours helping neighbours, Australians reaching out to their fellow countrymen is both heart warming — and deeply illustrative — of the Australian spirit.

It is thus motivated that we wish to support your can-do attitude, your ability to pick yourselves up and get on with it.

I am pleased to announce today that the Emirate of Abu Dhabi is making a $30 million donation to the Government of Queensland to build five category five cyclone shelters to be used as multi-purpose centres year round.

The Queensland Government is best suited to consult with local communities and determine areas of greatest need, and how the facilities will be used day to day. The Emirate of Abu Dhabi looks forward to learning more about the centres as the state of Queensland progresses site selection and building plans.

Thank you very much for your time today.

ANNA BLIGH: Well with an announcement like that you can imagine how pleased we are to be joined here today with the United Arab Emirates Minister of State, her Excellency Reem Al Hashemi and, of course, Foreign Minister, and fellow Queenslander, Kevin Rudd.

We very much welcome this generous gift.

It is a great gift of friendship from the people of Abu Dhabi to the people of Queensland. In fact we have been working with the government of Abu Dhabi for a number of months now. They were one of the first nations in the world to reach out their hand and offer support and help.

I am very pleased to announce that in addition to this donation the Queensland Government has resolved to match this donation so that we will see a $60 million package that will deliver at least 10 category five cyclone proof shelters across the northern coast of Queensland.

That means that these shelters will be designed to — and constructed — to category five standard. They will provide protection to more than 500 people each from winds of up to 300 kilometres an hour.

The location as her Excellency indicated will now be the subject of consultation with local councils and local communities, but we would expect that in those 10 shelters we would include Cairns, Townsville, the Cassowary Coast, Proserpine/Airlie Beach, Mackay/Sarina, Yeppoon, Rockhampton, and Weipa.

Obviously we need to go and do some work to be very much more specific than that but as you are all aware they are the major centres from the Tropic of Capricorn, north, and that's where we need the most protection.

We will build these shelters as quickly as we can. This donation is an immediate donation and the funds will be in this year's budget for the Queensland contribution, so we would expect to see construction starting in the second half of this year, progressively opening centres throughout the next 18 months to two years.

The buildings will be used as multi-purpose facilities all year round, they won't simply be locked up waiting for the next cyclone. But they will become very important facilities in local communities where they can be playing a range of indoor sports.

And they will also be fully equipped with appropriate emergency equipment, including generator sets, mattresses, and other facilities that will be necessary should they be needed for their cyclone purpose.

So I wanted on behalf of the people of Queensland, firstly, to thank her Excellency and her government and her people for this great gift of friendship.

The state of Abu Dhabi and the state of Queensland are old and good friends. As you heard from the Foreign Minister we became the first state of Australia to open a trade office in the UAE. And we have signed a memorandum of agreement with Abu Dhabi. That goes to shared activity in education and her Excellency has met with students from the Gulf states here today. Also to government administration — and we've already hosted a delegation of directors and senior officials from every government department in Abu Dhabi that was very, very important last year. And we have been working to build on that friendship.

I was very happy to visit the UAE and Abu Dhabi in 2009, not only to open the offices the Foreign Minister alluded to, but to meet with many senior ministers and officials. And I had the great honour and privilege of meeting with Sheikha Fatima, the mother of the prince, and who is a very, very well respected woman in her nation. And I think that's been an important part of the growing friendship between Queensland and Abu Dhabi and I send my best regards through you, your Excellency, to the Sheikha.

Secondly I'd also like to thank Kevin Rudd, the Foreign Minister, and the Commonwealth government, for their work with the government of Queensland to ensure that negotiations and discussions about this donation proceeded as smoothly and as swiftly as they could.

As you can imagine this is a very significant international donation. We are very grateful for it. It comes from the state of Abu Dhabi to the state of Queensland, but it would not have been possible without the support and assistance, particularly from Kevin personally but from the Commonwealth government and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

I'm very pleased that we're joined here by so many representatives of the United Arab Emirates and the other gulf nations who are here as part of the delegation.

You're all very, very welcome in Queensland. I understand you had a very productive morning, and I look forward to hosting you at a reception this evening. I am similarly pleased to be joined by Australia's Ambassador in the UAE, Mr Doug Trappett, and the UAE's Ambassador here to Australia.

END

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