As Parliament resumed business today, the Speaker of Parliament, Sir Peter Kenilorea, expressed his deepest condolence to the victims of the recent bushfires that ravaged the State of Victoria killing hundreds.
Sir Peter spoke for a few minutes, conveying a short but moving tribute to the Speaker of the House of Representative of the Australian Federal Parliament."On behalf of the members of the Solomon Islands National Parliament and the people of Solomon Islands, may I express my most profound sympathy to those families who have lost love ones."
"We recall with sincere gratitude Australia's assistance during our nations period of disaster," Sir Peter said. "While we may not be able to assist, our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and families of the bush fire tragedy."
For many Australians the 7th of February 2009 will now be remembered as one of the darkest days in Australia's peacetime history. Once vibrant towns of Kinglake, Marysville and Narbethong now lay in ashes, at least 640 homes destroyed and 84 innocent lives lost during the tragedy.