Doorstop – Parliament House

MINISTER SESELJA: Obviously, at the moment, we send our thoughts and our prayers to the people of Tonga. Obviously, a very difficult situation at the moment. Given the communications, we understand in Tonga have been pretty significantly impacted, our assessment of the situation is still rapidly unfolding, and we're getting as much information as we can from our post. There is some satellite capacity in order to get updates, but the situation still remains quite fluid, and our assessment of the situation on the ground is still unfolding as we speak.

Prime Minister Morrison did speak to Prime Minister Ardern today. Earlier today, Prime Minister Ardern called Prime Minister Morrison and they had a good conversation just about how important it is that Australia and New Zealand coordinate very closely in any responses, and that's what we anticipate and that's what we intend to do.

I can announce that the Tongan Government has agreed to an offer of assistance from the Australian government of a P-8 surveillance flight which we hope will be able to deploy tomorrow morning with a view to being above Tongan airspace around 9:00 am Tongan time tomorrow, but this is subject to weather conditions and most particularly issues around the ash cloud, so there are no guarantees that that flight will be able to be taking off tomorrow morning. But if possible, it would go very early tomorrow morning and with a view to around 9:00 am being above Tonga, obviously, that is about gathering as much information as we possibly can.

We understand the New Zealand Government has offered a P-3 Orion as well, so we'd be coordinating with the New Zealand Government and making sure there isn't crossover and we're complementing the work that each of us are doing. We understand also a couple of Guardian class patrol boats, Australian provided Guardian class patrol boats are doing some of that job on the ground in Tonga, led obviously by the Tongan Government, but they are Australian provided Guardian class patrol boats. That assessment obviously will be very important to understand the extensive damage at the moment. From our reports from our post, I can confirm that all Australian officials and their families are accounted for and safe. We have no particular concerns about any Australians at this stage, but again, I put the caveat on it that's subject to some communications difficulties. My understanding is that communications within Tonga are to some extent operating. It's the international communications through the cable that was affected that is causing some difficulties for us to get that information on the ground.

I can also announce that we are preparing for humanitarian assistance through the C-130 flight that could be deployed from Brisbane. Pallets of humanitarian relief supplies out of our Brisbane warehouse are on their way to Emberly that should be ready to go tomorrow. Again, that's subject to those flight conditions and the ability to get on the ground. That has not been officially accepted, that offer, those discussions haven't taken place yet formally with the Tongan Government, but we anticipate that we would make that offer of assistance and should it be accepted, subject to the ability to be able to fly, we will get those supplies as quickly as we can. Those supplies are mainly around shelter. So the ability for around 100 families of five to be able to have supplies that would enable them, things like tarpaulins, water, cooking equipment, the sort of things that people have been displaced, that they would be able to get that kind of support on the ground as quickly as possible.

The final point I'd make before we go to questions is obviously Tonga has had very strict border controls for a significant period of time due to COVID. And obviously, any assistance that is able to be delivered would have to take account of those very strict border controls. So obviously, discussions would take place. We have been working on a lot of procedures in the last couple of years as to how to deliver humanitarian assistance, taking account of the desire to not have contact between people coming from Australia, for instance, into other countries. So obviously, that will be done in a COVID safe way, and that was certainly discussed between Prime Minister Ardern and Prime Minister Morrison.

The final point I would make is we also are working with NGOs on the ground. I understand the Tongan crisis cabinet has met, and I think as we speak, they would be speaking with donors about what kind of assistance might be needed. So we should have a better assessment in the next couple of hours of additional assistance that might be sought, but there are some prepositioned resources that we have with Tongan Red Cross which may be able to be deployed.

And I did say finally a couple of times, but I'd say one final one. I know that the Tongan community here in Australia, a very significant community, a very valued community, would obviously have a lot of concerns at the moment and be looking to look at ways that they can support the effort. I would just say that the preference would be for cash donations to NGOs in order to be able to deliver assistance in the most efficient and effective way. But I'm happy to take questions.

JOURNALIST:

Could you tell us what communications we have been able to establish? I understand the New Zealanders have only been able to contact through their High Commission. Is that the same for Australia? Has that been the only route of communication we've had?

MINISTER SESELJA:

Yes, that's been the case to date. So it's through, there has been discussions between DFAT and our High Commissioner there on the ground. I should have said earlier that the DFAT staff are in a, there's a defence facility there, and that is considered the safest place to be at the moment, just in the short term, obviously, there's a bit of volatility in terms of what the weather conditions and what's going to happen with tsunami warnings and the like. So that's considered the safest, the comms to our HOM remain, so there is the ability, but they're not necessarily there in the HOM at any given time at the moment.

JOURNALIST:

Do you have any information on the state of the airport? Are you confident you could land a Hercules or Globemaster at the moment, or is that something the reconnaissance flight would have to determine?

MINISTER SESELJA: At this stage, I don't have any particular information on that. Obviously that an assessment will take place.

JOURNALIST:

Do you know what the New Zealand surveillance craft can do and the Australian one can do? Will they be limited by the same conditions in the air? I know that there are different planes of different levels. They can fly out depending on what level the ash gets to. Will the both of the surveillance flights be subject to the same condition?

MINISTER SESELJA:

I think pretty similar conditions. Obviously, the P-3 Orion has similar capacity to the P-8 is just a slightly older craft. So in terms of I think it affects things like range and the like, but I wouldn't profess a great level of expertise on that particular level of detail, but I think they'll be similarly constrained.

JOURNALIST:

Obviously, water is going to be one of the critical supplies that are likely to be needed given the inundation and the ash that's been falling, at least on low for as far as we know. What is going to be the best way we can provide water. Is that going to be through the naval boats or from other countries that are closer if all will be airlifted in? What's the plan?

MINISTER SESELJA:

I think we're looking at all contingencies on that, but obviously there are a number of countries. Obviously there are other countries in the region who have been affected, but I think it's pretty clear that nowhere to the same extent as has been the case in Tonga. So obviously we'll look to partner with other countries in the region. They are obviously always keen to support their Pacific family in whatever way they can. I mentioned the prepositioned assets with the Tongan Red Cross, and obviously we'll look at naval vessels as well as air force assets as required. The other point I would make is obviously we've made an initial offers of assistance, but this is in the absence of detailed levels of information and detailed requests, the Australian Government stands ready to do much more as the situation unfolds, as we understand the situation better, and we'll be making those offers through officials and through the High Commission in the coming days.

JOURNALIST:

One of the things that Australia often does that is most valuable is sending AUSMAT teams, but we know the AUSMAT teams have also been working in Australia during the COVID crisis. Do they currently have the capacity to be deployed again overseas?

MINISTER SESELJA:

Generally they would be. But in terms of that specific, that's something I'll have to come back to.

JOURNALIST:

Anyone else? I can keep going. Do we have any provision to provide desalination facilities if more fresh water is needed in a medium to longer term?

MINISTER SESELJA:

The water purification is part of some of the humanitarian kits so that basic ability to have safe drinking water is part of those kits. So obviously that is important. Potentially, we just don't at this stage know how much the water supply may or may not have been affected. All right. Well, thank you for coming out, guys. We appreciate it.

[ENDS]