Jacinda Ardern pays tribute to victims of Whakaari/White Island and their families

Tuesday, 10 December 2019

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says big questions about Whakaari/White Island must be asked and answered.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern paid tribute to the victims of the Whakaari/White Island eruption in an address to Parliament.

She said their families would be 'forever linked to our nation'.

'I say to those who have lost and grieve – you are forever linked to our nation and we will hold you close,' she said

Ardern offered special condolences to Australia, where many of the victims of the attack were visiting from.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern spoke to Parliament about the tragedy at White Island.

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'Our family in Australia has been heavily impacted. We feel the pull of our bond acutely at this time,' she said.

She also paid tribute to the emergency services who worked 'tirelessly in the most devastating circumstances'.

New Zealand first responders land on 'moon-like' ash after the Whakaari/White Island eruption.

'Many of them had not yet rested or slept. The toll that the impact of this extraordinary tragedy had had on them was obvious,' she said.

Ardern said that those who had been lost would be forever linked to New Zealand, drawing on the beliefs of local iwi.

'Just sitting off Whakaari is a place called paepae Aotea. It's a collection of rocks that jut out of Te Moana nui a toi.

'For some of the Mataatua tribes it is where those who have passed on begin their journey to the afterlife.

Ardern was speaking at the first sitting of Parliament as it returned from its weekend break on Tuesday. She arrived just in time, having returned from a visit to Whakatāne overnight.

Instead of launching straight into questions, Parliament paused for statements from the Government and opposition on the tragedy.

National's deputy leader Paula Bennett spoke for leader Simon Bridges who had left to visit Whakatāne.

She said it was for MPs to show 'respect to all of those that have been working at this very traumatic time'.

Bennett once visited the Island as Minister of Tourism, and said she used to go fishing around it.

'Walking on it, it is quite incredible: the power and the beauty of it,' Bennett said.

'Our earth has opened up and exploded and taken some lives in with it. For those that are not from New Zealand, understanding that our land has taken them; our land now looks after them and will always show that kind of respect,' she said.