Scott Morrison and his wife Jenny were emotional at the tribute. Photo / NCA NewsWire / Grant Viney
Scott Morrison and his wife Jenny were emotional at the tribute. Photo / NCA NewsWire / Grant Viney
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his wife Jenny have paid tribute to the five children who were killed in the horrific jumping castle tragedy in Tasmania.
The couple privately paid their respects by laying flowers to the growing memorial outside Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport where Peter Dodt, Jalailah Jayne-Marie Jones, Addison Stewart, Jye Sheehan and Zane Mellor lost their lives.
The school was celebrating the last day of the 2021 school year with a "Big Day In" celebration before wind caused the jumping castle and inflatable zorb balls to be picked up, with nine children falling from a height of 10m.
Images show the Prime Minister and his wife wiping tears from their eyes while laying flowers at the growing memorial to the children.
The emotional visit comes after the Prime Minister announced $800,000 in funding to provide counselling and mental health support to the Tasmanian community.
Morrison described the incident as a "terrible, unthinkable, unimaginable tragedy" before announcing $800,000 to support the families and community with counselling and other mental health services.
"We discussed there will need to be ongoing counselling and other emotional support, particularly mental health support," he said.
Following discussions with the Health Minister and other advisers, the Prime Minister said there would be $250,000 for first responders and $550,000 for the broader community.
Victims of jumping castle tragedy: Peter Dodt (centre), Jalailah Jayne-Marie Jones (top-left), Jye Sheehan (top-right), Addison Stewart (bottom-right) and Zane Mellor (bottom-left).
The money will be paid to Tasmania's Primary Health Network and will be provided over an 18-month period.
"We know support won't just be needed in the next few weeks, it will be needed for many, many, many months to try and begin the process of healing," Morrison said.
Additional trauma counselling for those involved in the incident will be included in the $250,000.
Training in trauma and psychological first aid will be given to those providing the service.
The $500,000 includes $200,000 for additional trauma and counselling in the community, $200,000 for local Headspace and trauma care and expanded supports for young people.
There will also be $100,000 to support the return-to-school in 2022 including training and counselling for teachers and staff, while $50,000 will be dedicated to community mental health.
"It's a terribly, terribly awful time for Tasmanians, I want to extend our deepest sympathies for the five families in particular who have lost these precious young ones," he told media from Hobart on Saturday morning.
"We think also of the families of the three who are still in a terribly critical condition."
Scott Morrison and his wife Jenny were emotional at the tribute. Photo / NCA NewsWire / Grant Viney
Morrison said there were "no words, only prayers" for Tasmanians and the community carrying the burden.
"It will be a heavy burden, it will weight them down," he said.
"Whether it's first responders, the teachers, the friends, the family, the P & C at Hillcrest, Australia is with them and we grieve with them and we mourn with them."
Tasmanian police described the incident as a "significant local wind event" with investigations underway and involvement from WorkSafe Tasmania.
Three children remain in hospital in a critical condition, with one recovering at home after being discharged.
Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein thanked Morrison for the support and thanked the premiers around Australia who "reached out and offered support".
"Could I just say once again to all of those that have been impacted by this terrible, terrible tragedy, to the families of the five children who passed away, words can't express the sympathy that I feel," Gutwein said.
"Tasmanians feel the outpouring of sympathy right across this country."
Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine was asked by reporters about whether the jumping castle was tied to the ground before it became airborne.
He repeatedly sidestepped the question during a Friday morning press conference, along with questions related to zorb balls which were also reportedly launched into the air along with the bouncy castle.
"Was the jumping castle tethered at all?" one journalist asked, with Hine simply replying: "That forms part of the investigation.
"It is fair to say that those injured were inside the castle. We need to piece the movements of the individuals together so we can present a full picture to the coroner," he added.
