Interview with David Lipson – ABC AM

DAVID LIPSON:

New Zealand’s Foreign Minister says there’s been no further ash fall on Tonga’s main island overnight and that power has been restored to 80 per cent of that area. Like New Zealand, Australia is trying to help assess the damage. Australia’s Minister for International Development and the Pacific is Zed Seselja. We spoke a short time ago.

Zed Seselja, thanks for your time. The Australian surveillance flight planned for this morning has been delayed due to ash clouds. When and how can we expect a proper assessment of this disaster?

MINISTER SESELJA:

Well, we obviously hope it will be able to take off as soon as possible. So obviously defence personnel make the assessments based, of course, on safety first and foremost the ability to fly. There is, I understand, a New Zealand P-3 Orion in the air as we speak. And so that will be able to give, I suppose, the first aerial assessments of the situation on the ground, and that will help. But obviously there’s a lot of coordination going on between Australia and New Zealand at the moment to make sure we’re working together.

There is some assessments coming through on the ground. We know that the AFP were able to assess some of the Western Beaches area and did find some damage there. There’d been some houses that had been washed away and roads that had been affected. We do know from reports this morning that the airport appears to have remained relatively unscathed, which is good news, which means once flying conditions allow that will enable those kind of humanitarian drops that we are working towards and preparing for as we speak.

DAVID LIPSON:

It is clearly a serious situation, but it doesn’t sound like mass casualties or hospitals being overrun, from the little we do know, does it?

MINISTER SESELJA:

No, that’s right. So at this stage, particularly on the main island where we’ve got the most information, we’re not seeing any reports of major casualties, but some fairly significant damage in terms of property damage in parts. I think the challenge at the moment will be to determine the extent of the damage across the country but particularly in those outer islands. And that’s where those surveillance flights will be very important because there hasn’t been any contact with some of the outer islands so we just don’t know at this stage what damage may or may not have been incurred.

We know that all Australians are safe and accounted for, particularly we know all of our personnel that are over there. There are concerns about one UK citizen who I understand is missing. But – so this is obviously a very concerning situation. You’re right to say that at this stage there’s no indication of mass casualties. That is very good news, but obviously there’s a lot we don’t know, and so we’re seeking to get as much information as we can all the while preparing for how we can deliver and deploy humanitarian support.

So the C-130 which is being prepared out of Amberley will have humanitarian supplies, particularly kits dealing with shelter and the like. And HMAS Adelaide, which is currently in Sydney, will be deploying to Brisbane where it can – has the ability to deploy as needed. And obviously HMAS Adelaide would be looking at other supplies, particularly things such as fuel and water, which are anticipated to be needed.

DAVID LIPSON:

Considering there’s only been one Covid case in Tonga throughout this entire pandemic, how will that humanitarian aid be delivered in a Covid-safe way?

MINISTER SESELJA:

Yeah, it’s a very important point. And in our discussions with the New Zealand government we’ve – and obviously with the Tongan government through officials on the ground, this has been raised. The Australian government has developed protocols obviously over the last couple of years for how humanitarian supplies can be delivered in a Covid-safe way. And we’re very conscious of the fact that Tonga has had very strict border controls to make sure that they don’t see Covid coming into the country. So they will continue to enforce those and we’ll be able to work with them in delivering supplies without necessarily there being, you know, person-to-person contact.

DAVID LIPSON:

Just briefly, China has said it’s willing to of assistance to Tonga as well. Is that welcome?

MINISTER SESELJA:

I welcome any nations who are prepared to help. We obviously coordinate with a lot of countries in the region, and we welcome offers of support from around the world.

DAVID LIPSON:

And just briefly on Novak Djokovic, the government has booted the world’s best player out of the country because of fears his mere presence here might stir up anti-vax sentiment. With that in mind, are you personally comfortable having people like George Christensen, Alex Antic in your party room considering they’ve called for civil disobedience, for example, over vaccine mandates?

MINISTER SESELJA:

Well, look, there’s a number of issues with the visa cancellation. Obviously the government is pleased that the courts have upheld the Immigration Minister’s decision. He obviously took that decision based on all of the relevant factors before him. I think the important point to note is that we do have strict border controls in this country. Those border controls apply to everyone equally obviously regardless of your status, whether or not you’re a high-profile tennis player or anyone else.

DAVID LIPSON:

But on the party room matter, though?

MINISTER SESELJA:

Well, you know, obviously we have party room members who express views from time to time. But in terms of our border regime, that is something that has been longstanding. We make decisions in the national interest, and obviously there are a number of factors that went into the decision that was taken by Minister Hawke, and he can speak to some of that detail. But we do have a strong border protection regime, and it’s applied without fear or favour.

DAVID LIPSON:

Zed Seselja, thanks for your time.

MINISTER SESELJA:

Thanks, David.

DAVID LIPSON:

That’s Zed Seselja, the Minister for International Development and the Pacific.

[ENDS]