Minister for Defence - Australian aircraft to provide assistance to FIJI

MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS

The Hon Julie Bishop MP

MINISTER FOR DEFENCE

Senator the Hon Marise Payne

The Australian Government has authorised the first deployment of Australian Defence Force flights to transport personnel and humanitarian supplies to Fiji in the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Winston.

A C-17A Globemaster arrived in Fiji overnight with advance personnel and equipment.

Australian Defence Force flights will also transport humanitarian supplies to provide urgent lifesaving support to people affected by the cyclone, supplementing prepositioned Australian supplies already being distributed in Fiji.

Our assistance will help ensure the Government of Fiji and agencies responding to the crisis to meet the needs of Fiji’s citizens, who have been forced to move to evacuation centres and other temporary accommodation.

Australia will also send an aeromedical evacuation team to provide urgent lifesaving medical support to people in remote outer islands.  The team will include 6 medical professionals from Australian state and territory health services. Our support will include water and hygiene kits, health support and access to shelter.

Four MRH-90 helicopters will also be deployed to assist Fiji to carry out assessments and to provide relief to the outlying islands affected by the Cyclone.

The Royal Australian Air Force also has P3-Orion surveillance aircraft in the Pacific, which have been placed on standby to support Fiji’s rapid aerial assessment efforts.

As the full impact of the Cyclone becomes clearer, Australia stands ready to provide further assistance to the relief and recovery efforts as requested.

Foreign Minister’s Office:         Rachel Obradovic        0478 488 874

Defence Minister’s Office:        Henry Budd                 0429 531 143