Transcript, E&OE
12 August 2009
Interview - Sky News
Subjects: Papua New Guinea plane crash, Aung San Suu Kyi
ASHLEIGH GILLON: The fate of a missing plane in Papua New Guinea remains unknown this morning, and the Government holds grave fears for 13 people, including nine Australians on board.
A short time ago, I spoke with the Foreign Minister Stephen Smith for an update on the search operation which began at first light this morning.
Minister, good morning. Has the search this morning made any progress?
STEPHEN SMITH: Well, what's occurred this morning is at 6am, the PNG safety coordination committee met. At about 6.30am, a couple of helicopters took off, essentially on a reconnaissance mission to check the weather.
The initial reports we've had on the weather is it looks like we might get the chance for a couple of good hours search in the course of the morning, but that will be subject to confirmation.
In the meantime, we've got some Australian assets on the ground: a Sea King helicopter will arrive at 8.30am and we have a Caribou aircraft already there, which is available. So if we're able to get choppers and planes in the air, both PNG and Australian assets will be able to be utilised.
That will depend upon the weather, but the prospects are better in the morning than later in the day.
ASHLEIGH GILLON: So is there actual Australian manpower on the ground at the moment helping with that search and rescue?
STEPHEN SMITH: We have a Caribou aircraft on the ground, which is a Defence aircraft. That's ready to be utilised. We have a Dornier aircraft which is a Maritime Safety Authority aircraft. That actually flew over the range last night trying to pick up the beacon, but was unsuccessful. That's on the ground and available. And the Sea King helicopter, which is flying off one of the navy ships, will be available from 8.30am.
When you combine that with the PNG resources, they had two helicopters and a fixed-wing aircraft yesterday and they'll add two helicopters today. So there's going to be a fair amount of aerial capability. It will depend upon the weather.
But also, we think that we've narrowed the search site, or the PNG authorities think they've narrowed the search site as a result of anecdotal information from villagers to an area near Mount Bellamy, where villagers are saying they heard what sounded like a crash yesterday morning.
ASHLEIGH GILLON: Is it any clearer why the plane aborted its landing at Kokoda Airport?
STEPHEN SMITH: No. We're absolutely focusing on, firstly, on trying to find the plane and, secondly, giving the families of the passengers as much support as we can.
Once we've found the plane and done our best to look after the families, then naturally, things will move to a consideration and an assessment of those things. And I'm sure that will be done exhaustively in the usual way.
But in terms of the families, yes, I can confirm, as I did to the Parliament yesterday, nine Australians on board, one Japanese citizen, three Papua New Guineans.
Of the Australians, two are from Queensland, seven are from Victoria. They vary in age from early twenties to sixties, so it's a cross-section of Australians and we just have to take it step by step.
ASHLEIGH GILLON: The airline involved has released a statement saying that the pilots were very experienced and, also, that the plane had actually been upgraded with new navigation equipment at the beginning of this year. Do you have any concerns at the moment about the safety record of that airline? Obviously, this is something you'll be looking at closer in the coming days and…
STEPHEN SMITH: Firstly, this is an airline that Australian officials use, an airline that PNG officials use. It's an airline that not only flies internally in PNG, but also flies from Port Moresby to Cairns and Brisbane. So there is some regulatory oversight so far as Australian authorities are concerned.
But again, those issues are issues which will fall for consideration in the days and weeks ahead, and I'm sure all of those assessments will be done exhaustively.
What we do know, of course, is that this is difficult flying terrain. Generally regarded as being an area where you've got to have both experience and caution. But anecdotally or generally, PNG pilots and the expatriate pilots who operate in this area are regarded as pretty good because of those difficulties and challenges in terrain and in weather conditions.
ASHLEIGH GILLON: Of course, this is an area where a lot of Australians hold dear and a place that a lot of Australians have been to, and a lot of these people have been reacting, saying that they're not really surprised that the conditions in PNG are pretty hairy at times. Does Australia need to work more closely with PNG to try to improve safety?
STEPHEN SMITH: We do work very closely with them. This is one of the good things that has emerged over the last couple of years where we've got a Memorandum of Understanding now, so far as use of the track is concerned. So we do work very closely with them.
But in the aftermath of a terrible event like this, again, we will do an exhaustive assessment of what more we can do. But I think, given that we've got a plane missing, nine missing Australians, we do have to take it step by step. The priority has to be finding the plane, giving as much support as we can to the family members.
We, of course, have very grave concern about nine Australians. And the families are obviously going through a terrible time.
We'll do the exhaustive assessments of all those other things, but we've got to take it step by step, day by day, but those exhaustive assessments will be done.
But, as I say, you don't need to go to the detailed information that you'll find on the travel advice or the Air Transport Safety websites. Everyone knows that this is difficult flying country and weather often makes that even more challenging.
ASHLEIGH GILLON: Just finally, on another matter, is Australia going to express its disappointment directly to Burma's leaders about the sentence we saw given yesterday to Aung San Suu Kyi?
STEPHEN SMITH: Well, it's no surprise. The Prime Minister and I have both issued statements condemning it. It's effectively an outrage. We don't think she should have been tried, let alone convicted. It's a device to stop her playing any role in Burmese politics.
The Burmese Ambassador here will be called in this morning and our Ambassador in Burma will go in herself and speak to officials at the highest level.
I made all of these points to the Burmese Foreign Minister when I met him as part of the ASEAN-related meetings in Thailand recently. We want Burma to move towards democracy. We'll have a very careful look at our sanctions to see whether they can be improved. But there has to be a unanimous chorus from the international community and I'm confident that that's emerging.
We've seen strong and good statements from our Malaysian counterparts, our European Union counterparts, the United Kingdom and the United States, but we need a unanimous international community voice here to continue to put pressure on the regime to move to democracy.
ASHLEIGH GILLON: But, in reality, is the regime likely to just continue to ignore those sorts of comments?
STEPHEN SMITH: Well, this is a long term challenge. You know, we've been at this for a considerable period of time. There has to be an element of carrot and stick, which on the one hand means sanctions, but on the other hand - the point I made to the Burmese Foreign Minister - Australia and the international community would very much like to help Burma's very seriously deleterious social and economic circumstances. But the international community won't move to help them economically, won't move to help them socially unless they move towards democracy.
ASHLEIGH GILLON: The Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith, there.
[ENDS]
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