The terrorist attack in Bali last October was a great shock to the nation. All Australians were affected by this tragedy. We will recover, but we will never forget.
Today I announce that the Australian Government will fund a package of health initiatives for the Balinese people to provide a memorial to those 88 Australians killed in the atrocity.
Bali is much loved by so many Australians and we are truly grateful for the care and support given by the Balinese community in the horrible aftermath of the attack. The package recognises the close bond felt by many Australians with Bali and honours the memory of those killed with a living, practical memorial.
The package, costing around $10.5 million, will fund a new intensive care centre for the Sanglah Hospital in Denpasar, upgrades to other hospital facilities, including the burns unit, and training. The assistance will also help develop emergency care capacity, including with an outreach service from the hospital. We are also going to build a new eye treatment clinic, so the work of the Australian charity worker, John Fawcett, can continue and be expanded.
In addition, the government will fund an ongoing scholarship programme, which will provide short and long-term awards for study in Australia. The scholarships will be in a broad range of health and medical disciplines and be open to candidates from within the Balinese health system.
All the initiatives will publicly acknowledge that they are in honour of the memory of those Australians who lost their lives in the Bali attacks.
We have also commenced discussions with the Indonesian authorities for the placement of an Australian memorial plaque at the site to honour the victims of the tragedy. The large wooden cross, the focus of the memorial service held in October, will be permanently located in the Consul grounds to provide a quiet place of reflection for those wishing to pay their respects.