Federal Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch has launched an appeal to raise $15,000 to get Aniba Petru and his deceased daughter Martha home to PNG.
Mr Entsch said The Cairns Post and his office have been overwhelmed with calls from people wanting to donate to Aniba and assist him with his plight.
“It is at times like this when you need to show some compassion and do whatever you can to help your fellow man. I think getting them both home safely and with some dignity is the very least we can do after our State and Federal Government’s have let them down so severely,” said Mr Entsch.
“All funds deposited into the account will be used to pay for Aniba and his daughters’ airfares home and any funeral expenses required. As he has no money, it would be nice if we raised a bit extra to help him out when he gets back to PNG considering what he’s been through, this is why we’ve set the target at $15,000 as this will cover everything for them.
Mr Entsch said the outpouring of support from people in the Far North has been heart warming.
“We have had people from as far away as Adelaide and Brisbane calling to donate money as they’ve read about Aniba’s situation and are gobsmacked that our Government has left this man to find his own way home with his deceased daughter in a dinghy,” he said.
