Page 2665 - Week 08 - Friday, 1 July 2005
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Mr John Malouf
Mr Tim Keady
Tsunami benefit dinner
MR SMYTH (Brindabella—Leader of the Opposition) (10.28): On behalf of the opposition I also extend thanks to Mr Malouf and Mr Keady for their service; and I am sure others will have words to say.
I would like to bring to the attention of members a dinner and a group. The dinner was held last Thursday, 23 June, at the CIT restaurant on Constitution Avenue. It was organised by the Indonesian communities in Canberra network group, and there was a coming together of other groups that formed another group called the Aceh and North Sumatra Rebuilding Fund, or ANSURF project, to assist victims of the Boxing Day tsunami. I think the real value of this group is that they have tracked down Indonesian citizens who have previously lived in Canberra—people who, in the main, studied in Canberra—who were affected by the tsunami. The funds raised will go to help those people. I would like to quote from a document headed, “The families being supported by the ANSURF project.” It says:
As widely publicised, many of the children were dislocated from their family and friends. Some are now confirmed to be orphans, as is the case with Muhammad Mafiz Ilmi, the child of Mr Baihaqi, a 1993/94 graduate of the TESOL program at the University of Canberra. Mr Maihaqi, his wife and two other children died during the tsunami, leaving only one child who is now looked after by his grandmother in Banda Aceh. The Ansurf project will contribute to his school needs and future education.
Mr Moestafa, another graduate of the TESOL program at the University of Canberra, was completing his Masters degree in the Netherlands when the tsunami hit his home in Aceh. Mr Moestafa lost his wife and two children.
Another ex Canberra family affected by the tsunami is the family of Mr Aslam Nur, who graduated from a master’s program at the Australian National University in 1994-96. Mr Nur, his wife and a 12 year old daughter survived the tsunami although their house suffered extensive damages. With the help of his neighbours and friends, he is now busy rebuilding his house, after also busy helping out other neighbours and friends to rebuild their homes and properties.
The night of the dinner was a great night. I suspect there were about 100 people there. As a bonus it was held in the CIT restaurant, which provided a couple of Indonesian chefs that evening, so we had an Indonesian meal cooked by Indonesians in our local CIT. The number of Indonesian organisations in the ACT is interesting.
The Indonesian community network consists of 14 groups. It involves the Indonesian embassy, the Australia Indonesia Muslim Foundation, the Indonesian Society of the ANU, the Indonesian Student Association in the ANU, the Indonesian Students Association in the University of Canberra, the Indonesian Students Association in the ACT, Indonesian research and lecturers in the ACT, the Indonesian Catholic community in Canberra, the Australia Indonesia business and education network, the Australian-Indonesian families association, the Minaret group, the Indonesian Christian community in Canberra, the Canberra Indonesian Teachers Association and the
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