DALLEY:
Mr Howard, thanks very much for joining us. Now the scale of this disaster seems to grow hourly and particularly our near neighbour Indonesia where there are now estimates that 25,000 people might have died in Indonesia alone.
PRIME MINISTER:
Yes, tragically this is one of the great human disasters of modern times. What is particularly tragic and difficult about it is that it is so widespread. In the 1970s, for example, about a quarter of a million people died in China. We all hope that the death toll from this tragedy won't reach that level but because it's so widespread and because so many countries have been affected the international aid effort is that much more difficult. But we are particularly concerned about our near neighbour Indonesia - we're concerned about all countries. But I'm not surprised that the death toll is likely to be so high in Indonesia because the epicentre of the earthquake was off the Sumatran coast, and I spoke last night to President Yudhoyono from Indonesia and we will have by tomorrow, including a C130 from the Royal New Zealand Air Force, which their government has made available, we will have 5 C130s , which apart from carrying medical and other supplies and water purification equipment into Sumatra...
DALLEY:
Okay, 'cause Aceh seems to be a big problem with no power, no water...
PRIME MINISTER:
Well we're going to have these 5 C130s, as well as taking equipment. They will be available to do tasks requested by the Indonesian Government. They've specifically asked for this assistance.
DALLEY:
Have they asked for any special medical teams to go?
PRIME MINISTER:
We will have available from tomorrow 4 specialist medical teams of about 15 people a piece, and I want to thank the states as well as the Commonwealth health authorities for the contribution they've made to assembling these teams. They'll include surgeons, physicians, nurses, trauma counsellors and the like, and they will be available to be sent anywhere in the region. And I would imagine that we would get requests from the Indonesian authorities for them. In addition to that the C130s that we've sent already have amongst their personnel some medical people who will be making assessments. One of the greatest problems, of course, is disease that follows a tragedy of this magnitude, and we are anxious, but of course we have to work with the local authorities. This is not our country, but we made it very clear at a government level - I've spoken to President Yudhoyono, to the Prime Minister of India. I spoke about two hours ago to the Prime Minister of Thailand.
DALLEY:
Were they asking... Was the Prime Minister of Thailand asking for specific help two hours ago?
PRIME MINISTER:
Yes, and I'm able to indicate that the Virgin Blue aircraft that I think just left Canberra is carrying two disaster victim identification teams. Once again a mixture of Commonwealth and state police experts, forensic experts, who will assist in the grim task of identifying victims of all nationalities in Thailand. Now this is a special resource that the Thais wanted, and the Prime Minister confirmed the request that had been made at an official level for this. In addition the Virgin Blue aircraft is carrying two medical assessment teams to make assessments on the ground in Thailand, particularly in relation to any Australians who may need additional medical help. There are 175 seats available on that aircraft for the return journey.
DALLEY:
Okay. Prime Minister I just wanted to ask you; there's been some criticism today from some returning Australians about - they were critical of the Government not supply enough help for them, nor evacuation.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, look I think I think it's inevitable, Helen, when something of this magnitude happens that there is criticism. I think I have to say in defence of the Foreign Affairs people, who I think have done a fantastic job in a totally chaotic situation, that we have established in Thailand now, where most of the holidaying Australians were, we've effectively set up a sort of a temporary consulate. We've had to supply people with temporary papers and facilitate their return. My understanding is that flights are coming out of Thailand fairly readily, and I'm also told, once again as I speak, that on the basis of medical assessments that have been made on the spot by the Department of Immigration medical people that there have been no requests for medical evacuations from that area. But can I acknowledge that inevitably there will be criticism. I guess that is the case whatever is done, but I hope the public understands that there was just total chaos, and when you have thousands of people killed, and you have a tragedy of this magnitude, the difficulty of communication - I mean we have tragically identified of the five and a half thousand Australians in the region it is the Government's assessment that there are 6 confirmed deaths and there are 11 others of whom grave fears are held. Now that is the best assessment that we've been able to make on the basis of the responses which have run into the tens of thousands to the hotline that we established. We have additional consular people, particularly in Phuket and in parts of Sri Lanka where there were other concentration of Australians.
DALLEY:
Okay. Prime Minister we will leave it there for the moment. I do appreciate your time.
PRIME MINISTER:
Thank you.
[ends]