Today we pause to remember the people of Christchurch, who suffered so cruelly when their beautiful city was struck by a great earthquake one year ago today.
The devastating earthquake took the lives of 185 people and grievously wounded many more.
Much of the city was crushed, including historic landmarks like the ChristChurch Cathedral, and thousands of homes were lost to liquefaction.
In this past year more than 10,000 aftershocks have continued to shake the city and its surrounding districts and test its people.
Australians responded with generosity and compassion to this great tragedy, just as New Zealand did in response to our summer of disasters in 2011.
Today, Christchurch is again in our thoughts, our sorrow and grief undiminished, our respect never greater.