King Charles III has sent a message to Territorians following recent floods across the NT, saying the “devastating havoc the wet season has caused” is the result of climate change, while the NT Administrator’s Office said his Majesty also included a “personal donation” of an undisclosed value to help with flood recovery efforts.
Controversial Administrator David Connolly said he personally wrote to King Charles to share the extent of flood damage and the King responded with a message for all Territorians.
“I am deeply conscious that, for many years now, the Northern Territory has endured the harsh reality of climate change and borne the brunt of its destructive extremes,” King Charles wrote.
“Such events remind us of just how severe and wide reaching the consequences of extreme weather can be, affecting not only your cherished homes, vital infrastructure and hard-fought livelihoods, but also your essential connections to one another.”
He added he was aware of the destruction extreme weather events can cause and said they were becoming more frequent.
“Nowhere is this phenomenon more evident than in Australia,” the King said.
“What were once described as once in ten, or fifty, or one hundred, year weather events are now occurring much more frequently. Territorians know this only too well.
“The increasingly catastrophic effects of climate change are surely a siren call to the world for more urgent action, not only to address the root causes of our changing climate, but also to restore and revive the inherent resilience of Nature, and to live in Harmony with her through Nature-based solutions.
King Charles said he recalled visiting the Northern Territory after Cyclone Tracy and “marvelling at the rescue, recovery and rebuilding of communities, homes and lives” and the resilience of Territorians.
“Now, again, I find myself full of admiration for the selfless and unwavering commitment of all those who have risked their own safety to provide critical assistance in the most challenging of conditions, particularly to remote and isolated communities,” he said.
“The strength and courage displayed in recent weeks is deserving of the deepest respect and gratitude and I can only hope that the people of the Northern Territory will emerge from this period of appalling hardship with a renewed and reinvigorated sense of connection, and pride in their community.
“As the end of the wet season approaches, I can only pray that Territorians will continue to find the strength to draw on their resolve, compassion and commitment to each other in these most trying of times. My deepest sympathy goes to all those whose lives, livelihoods and property have been so affected by these tragic events.”
Awareness . . . followed by ‘engagement’ is why I not only respect our connection to, with, the United Kingdom and our Monarch, King Charles. The Royal Family . . . has a meaning. That word is Family!