Australia will contribute to a Dutch-led multinational police mission to the crash site of MH17. I expect the first contingent of Australian police will arrive at the crash site later today with Dutch colleagues to begin their important work.
First and foremost, the purpose of the mission is to recover further remains from the site. The police mission also will seek to remove wreckage from the site and, to the extent possible, obtain information that will assist investigators.
This mission will take place with the support of the good offices of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) which is playing a critical role in eastern Ukraine through its Special Monitoring Mission.
This mission will be swift. Our personnel will not stay a moment longer than is needed to carry out their task.
In a difficult environment, the risks are real. Meticulous planning has gone into mitigating these risks, and we are working closely with our international partners to ensure the mission proceeds safely and successfully.
Australia is committed to doing all we can to bring home our loved ones to their families.
27 July 2014