Inverell-based Senator John ‘Wacka’ Williams vowed to do something about the poor statistic during a July visit to the tiny country. 

“I haven’t travelled much overseas in my nine and a half years in Parliament, but when I do go, I try to help the people,” he said.

Bob Neich of Inverell Rotary was only too happy to help, and now four refurbished wheelchairs are in a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trading (DFAT) shipping container to Kiribati.

“It’s a simple enough thing,” Mr Neich said, explaining that Rotary were always prepared for similar circumstances. Through a project called Deeds in Kind, Rotary receives a variety of donations, including medical equipment and educational materials, which they then send to countries in need. 

Mr Neich sourced the wheelchairs from a storehouse in Minchinbury, which he said was “chockablock full of stuff”. 

“This is typical of Bob Neich, he’s a very, very decent man,” Senator Williams said. 

“If we can help our neighbours it’s good, and especially something small which doesn’t cost us any money. The container was going as it was - but it just means so much to them.”

“It’s something that we take for granted here,” he added. 

Mr Neich agreed, recalling visiting the local hospital during his first trip with Rotary to New Guinea in 1999.

“The one decision we made there and then with the group was don’t get hurt, don’t get sick and don’t get injured,” he said.

“Things are very basic overseas and we are so spoiled here in Australia.”

Senator Williams said his work wasn’t done in Kiribati. 

“They’re importing their fruit and vegetables, very expensive. So now I’ve hit the minister up that we get $500,000, we get an expert in hydroponics, we go over and set up a yard and fence it properly - 80 metres by 80 metres, and we set up a hydroponic vegetable growing system to show them how to grow their vegetables,” he said.

“It’ll be a huge help to their diet - where they can have fresh vegies instead of importing them in on the boat.”

He’s also keen to help Samoa establish a coffee industry, a cause he’s been passionate about since a 2007 visit. 

“When I go round the world, and I’ve been to Tonga, Kirabati, Fiji, Samoa in the Pacific and to Thailand for ANZAC day many times, and to Georgia over near Russia – every time I come back and I think ‘God, Australians are good farmers,’” he said.

“The way we are efficient and produce so much food, other countries could learn so much off Australia when it comes to producing food.”

He thanked Mr Neich for his willingness to help and staff member Gary Lamrock for organising the freight through DFAT.