NEW MEMORIAL FOR VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
Published Friday, 16 February, 2007 at 06:30 PM
Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Peter Beattie
The Queensland Government will contribute $50,000 to help the Queensland Vietnamese community achieve its ambition to build a memorial to the countless thousands of ‘boat people’ who lost their lives fleeing Vietnam.
Premier Peter Beattie announced the funding at tonight’s Vietnamese Celebration of the TET festival and the lunar new year.
“The Vietnam War was a great tragedy that cost the lives of millions of people,” Mr Beattie said.
“Millions more fled the country in the aftermath of the war to seek a new life for themselves and their families.
“It is an unfortunate historical fact that countless thousands of these refugees also died. Many drowned and simply disappeared in the sea when their flimsy boats floundered on the seas of South East Asia.
“While no one knows the exact number of people who perished this way, virtually every Vietnamese refugee now settled in Queensland had relatives or friends who disappeared in the sea.
“The Queensland Vietnamese community has sought the Government’s support and permission to build a memorial in Brisbane. My colleague, the Minister for Public Works Rob Schwarten, has been very sympathetic to the request.
“His department will provide a $50,000 grant towards the construction of a memorial to be built at the Roma Street Parkland. The precise location will be determined in consultation with the local Vietnamese community.”
Mr Beattie said the Member for Inala Annastacia Palaszczuk had made strong representations on behalf of her many Vietnamese-Australian constituents.
Ms Palaszczuk said the memorial was very important to the local Vietnamese community.
“It helps close a tragic period in Vietnamese history by recognising and honouring those who died at sea,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“Queensland’s Vietnamese community also sees the memorial as another opportunity for them to express their gratitude to the Australian Government and the Queensland people for accepting them and offering them shelter at a time of desperate need.
“The Roma Street Parkland is a genuine people’s place with a strong water theme. It is a fitting location for this memorial,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
Media contact: Alexia Deegan 0400 767 490
16 February 2007.
Premier Peter Beattie announced the funding at tonight’s Vietnamese Celebration of the TET festival and the lunar new year.
“The Vietnam War was a great tragedy that cost the lives of millions of people,” Mr Beattie said.
“Millions more fled the country in the aftermath of the war to seek a new life for themselves and their families.
“It is an unfortunate historical fact that countless thousands of these refugees also died. Many drowned and simply disappeared in the sea when their flimsy boats floundered on the seas of South East Asia.
“While no one knows the exact number of people who perished this way, virtually every Vietnamese refugee now settled in Queensland had relatives or friends who disappeared in the sea.
“The Queensland Vietnamese community has sought the Government’s support and permission to build a memorial in Brisbane. My colleague, the Minister for Public Works Rob Schwarten, has been very sympathetic to the request.
“His department will provide a $50,000 grant towards the construction of a memorial to be built at the Roma Street Parkland. The precise location will be determined in consultation with the local Vietnamese community.”
Mr Beattie said the Member for Inala Annastacia Palaszczuk had made strong representations on behalf of her many Vietnamese-Australian constituents.
Ms Palaszczuk said the memorial was very important to the local Vietnamese community.
“It helps close a tragic period in Vietnamese history by recognising and honouring those who died at sea,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“Queensland’s Vietnamese community also sees the memorial as another opportunity for them to express their gratitude to the Australian Government and the Queensland people for accepting them and offering them shelter at a time of desperate need.
“The Roma Street Parkland is a genuine people’s place with a strong water theme. It is a fitting location for this memorial,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
Media contact: Alexia Deegan 0400 767 490
16 February 2007.