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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2016-06-22 Daily Xml
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Matters of Interest

Vietnam Environmental Disaster

The Hon. T.T. NGO (15:27): I rise to speak about an ongoing environmental disaster in Vietnam. The mass death of fish along the north-central coast of Vietnam is a significant concern for many Vietnamese people as well as the Vietnamese community living overseas. I am told that since early April 2016 tonnes of dead fish have been washing ashore along hundreds of kilometres of coastline.

This is a tragedy, because many people depend on fishing and tourism to support themselves and their families. Around 13 million Vietnamese people currently live below the poverty line, on as little as $2 a day. This disaster puts livelihoods at risk, as fishermen can no longer turn to the seas and live off their daily catch. Furthermore, affected people are left starving or otherwise face serious illness by eating contaminated fish.

There are allegations that a local steel plant owned by Formosa Ha Tinh Steel, and operating in the area, is responsible for a leak of toxic chemicals through illegal pipes, which is causing the mass fish death. I am advised that the Vietnamese government promised to investigate when this issue was first brought to light months ago, but thus far people have been kept in the dark.

I am told that thousands of people took to the streets of Vietnam in the past month, demanding answers from the government and appealing for better environmental protection. Sadly, these demands were ignored and, in some cases, people were detained by the police. What concerns local communities is that even now the official cause of this crisis is unknown. There are widespread suspicions that corruption between government officials and Formosa Steel is the reason behind the Vietnamese government's silence.

Any individuals or corporations found to have acted unlawfully must be held accountable by the Vietnamese authorities. If contamination was caused by the Formosa steel plant, then its operations must cease immediately until the plant complies with all environmental regulations.

Rallies are being held around the world by Vietnamese people living abroad, in support of their former compatriots. I commend the Vietnamese community in Australia for their campaign to raise awareness about this environmental disaster. I congratulate members of the Vietnamese community in South Australia, whose voices rang out strongly during the rally held recently in front of this parliament. We are fortunate to live in a transparent and compassionate country like Australia. When Australia has been faced with disasters that devastated communities, such as drought, bushfires and floods, the Australian government would step in and provide emergency relief to give people a helping hand during this difficult period. Government transparency is paramount during any disaster. American author Suzy Kassem said, and I quote:

A great leader must serve the best interests of the people first, not those of multinational corporations. Human life should never be sacrificed for monetary profit.

In light of the suffering, I call on the Vietnamese government to put these words into action by disclosing the cause of this environmental crisis without delay. With livelihoods at stake and families gripped by financial hardship, Vietnamese people are in desperate need of financial assistance. I call on the Vietnamese government to keep its people informed about this crisis and provide them with adequate emergency relief.

I am told that, during President Obama's recent visit to Vietnam, the United States offered to independently investigate the suspected toxic leak. Unfortunately, this offer was refused. If the government is incapable of conducting the investigation, they should not let Vietnamese people continue to suffer for the sake of saving face. I urge the Vietnamese government to call on the international community to intervene and provide much-needed relief.

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