Tony Abbott Proves Promises Aren’t Made to be Broken
For Prime Minister Tony Abbott, giving compensation to Aussies victims of international attacks was more of a personal promise and not a political agenda. With this, he is hell-bent to fulfil this promise.
Hence, Mr Abbott will announce in Bali on Oct 9 that all Aussies who had been victims of bombings dating as far back as 2001 can start applying for compensation of up to $75,000 by Oct 21, 2013.
The compensation made available expands on New York, Bali, London (2005), Egypt (2005), Mumbai (2008) and Jakarta in (2009).
The Bali bombing was particularly personal for Mr Abbott for he was in the region when a van was detonated just outside the Sari Club tourist area of Kuta back in Oct 12 of 2002.
Mr Abbott helped at Bali's General Hospital to attend to the victims.
On Oct 9, Mr Abbott will pay his respects at the bombing memorial in Kuta.
"As someone who was in Bali when the second bomb went off, I will be very much thinking about the people who I came to know who were the victims of the second bombing," Mr Abbott said.
Mr Abbott had been putting a strong foot forward for the bombing victims since 2005. He had been prodding all authorities concern for a compensation legislation.
"It is the Government's intention to activate the victims of terrorism legislation, as soon as is possible for the people who suffered here in Bali," Mr Abbott emphasised.
The Abbott government realised that it need not pass laws to widen the provisions involving the Overseas Terrorism Compensation Scheme to make his promise possible.
As estimated, there were 300 people qualified, all in all, to receive the compensation. This will cost the government approximately $30 million.
Paul Anicich, a victim from Newcastle shared that Mr Abbott had probably saved his life during the bombing.
"From what I am told, took yourself away from your family and to the site of where you had been told Australians had been bombed at personal risk to yourself to do what you could for your fellow man," Mr Anicich told ABC.