Clinton Maynard, Host: The Assistant Foreign Affairs Minister, Matt Thistlethwaite, joins me on the program. Thank you for your time, Minister.
Matt Thistlethwaite, Assistant Minister for Foreign Minister Affairs and Trade: G'day, Clinton.
Maynard: What do we know about the person who's been discovered today?
Assistant Minister: Well, we're incredibly thankful that another Australian has been found alive. This person was found on the Tibetan side of the border. They've been in contact with and received support from the Australian consular officers and the person spoken with their family and I imagine there's a huge sense of relief for their loved ones who'd be, you know, incredibly stressed over the past few days. Despite that good news, I think we have to remain realistic about the days ahead. There's around 4,000 people that remain missing across those affected areas and the conditions facing those search and recovery teams are extremely challenges. We're thinking of the family and friends of those who are still missing. And now our DFAT officials are working around the clock with the Nepalese authorities to try and locate them.
Maynard: In the first few days of this emergency, and Penny Wong made this very clear, the Foreign Affairs Minister, that the concern was there was very poor telecommunications. It may well be people who are unaccounted for simply can't get in contact with authorities. There seems to have been a slight change of tone from both yourself and Senator Wong in the past 24 hours. Do you still have hope of finding many of those 42 alive?
Assistant Minister: Look, we're obviously working as hard as we can. You're right, the infrastructure to the region has been devastated. The roads are blocked. A lot of the telecommunications infrastructure is not working. There's no power to the area. That's why the Nepalese government requested from us solar lights. And that's part of a package of materials that are on their way to Nepal at the moment. But obviously, as each day goes, it becomes much more difficult. And whilst we're working as hard as we can, I think we need to be realistic about the challenge that those recovery teams are facing.
Maynard: On that 42 number, would you expect that there are more Australians who are unaccounted for, who weren't part of an official tour party, for instance?
Assistant Minister: That's difficult to say. The numbers that we have are based on information that we get from the Nepalese Tourist Board, from the individual tour operators and from loved ones who've registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. So, it could be the case that there are others, but that's the best information that we have available that we're going off. Obviously, our officials in Kathmandu are working quite closely. There's a number of Australians who've gone to the area in the hope that they can recover their loved ones, and that's completely understandable. And our ambassadors met with them. Our officials are meeting with them on a regular basis to keep them updated.
Maynard: I'm with the Assistant Foreign Affairs Minister, Matt Thistlethwaite. And Matt, I appreciate your time. You mentioned the aid that we're providing. There is a RAAF jet that's been sent there. Has that RAAF plane arrived in Nepal?
Assistant Minister: It's on its way there now. That came about as a result of a request from the Nepalese Foreign Minister. When Penny Wong spoke to him on Friday, we offered personnel, we offered as much assistance as possible. They said that they had enough personnel. There's 20,000 people that are working on the search and rescue. What they needed was hygiene kits, food and water and solar lights. And that's exactly what's been sent on the RAAF plane.
Maynard: Would there be a prospect that that could develop in a couple of days, though, that we might send our own people in?
Assistant Minister: Look, we stand ready and willing to assist. We've sent 12 experts to Kathmandu. These are rapid response personnel who are trained in the management of these scenarios. Consular staff, AFP officers and the like. But we have to obviously respect the wishes of the Nepalese government. They've got 20,000 personnel. Indeed, the Chinese on their side of the border have personnel working on the recovery as well, So we're ready to assist, but we obviously have to respect their wishes.
Maynard: I appreciate your time, thank you Matt.
Assistant Minister: Thanks, Clinton,