PM Transcripts

,01' dbce4
PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIAWEDNESDAY, MARCH 4 1981
AUSTRALIA/ NEW ZEALAND AIR PASSENGERS
-RELI9F FLIGHTS
With the completion of the last emergency relief flight
between Australia and New Zealand today, I would like to pay
tribute to the Air Force personnel and all others associat , ed
with the exercise, whc worked hard and long hours to see it
* through successfully.
They have good reason to be well satisfied with their work.
All Australians have reason to congratulate the RAAF and the
RNZAF on a job well done.
* The Australian Government also appr; eciatss -he ready co-operation
of the New Zealand Government in mounting and seeing through
this exercise to bring home stranded Australians and New Zealanders.
They would have faced long delays and hardships because of
strikes in both countries.
When the last RAAF emergency relief flight leaves at 5pm AEST
today, the airlift of stranded passengers will close down on
both sides of the Tasman.
-The-backlog of passengers has been largely shifted from Austra: lia
and from New Zealand. It is expected that available commnercial
flights will be able to handle any remaining movements. In the
course of the exercise the Royal Australian Air Force flew 27
' round flights and moved almost 3,300 passengers across the Tasman.-
A16AR-A-Y