Australian Assistance Ensures Distribution of Relief

13 February 2009


Today Mr James Sweeting, a senior AusAID official in the Australian High Commission, Suva, handed over F$383,000 to the Permanent Secretary for Defence , Mr Josefa Matau, as part of Australia’s response to the recent flooding in Fiji. The funding is aimed at assisting Fiji to purchase essential food rations and help with transportation costs of the food to affected villages.

Immediately following the widespread devastation caused by the flooding, Australia announced an initial assistance package of around F$3.6million.

Mr Sweeting said “Australia’s assistance to Fiji’s National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) is part of our overall relief package and will help to ensure villagers who were affected by floods, particularly in isolated areas of the interior, receive their food rations.”

Distributing relief and ration supplies to affected people across the island group is a priority and the ongoing cost is significant. Mr Sweeting said “Our support has helped Fiji authorities to purchase food rations, hire helicopters, trucks and 4WD vehicles and buy fuel for the distribution of humanitarian relief and food rations.”

Australian assistance has already enabled over 10 tonnes of relief supplies to be airlifted recently into a number of villages in the highlands.

Australian support has also been directed towards the health sector, to help minimise the disease risks posed by the flooding through providing water purification tablets, rehydration salts and antibiotics. It will also target broader recovery needs, including support for recovery of agriculture, supporting schools damaged by the floods with repairs, and assisting with payment of school fees.

“Australia always stands ready to respond to the needs of our Pacific neighbours in times of crisis,” said Mr Sweeting, and “given the scale of the crisis it is appropriate that Australia offers what assistance we can to help the people of Fiji.”

On Monday, High Commission officials also presented a cheque for F$183,000 to the Fiji Red Cross Society to enable it to restock its emergency supplies such as tarpaulins, water containers, clothing, blankets and emergency kits.

**ENDS**