Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

This condolence motion is an opportunity for us to reflect on the tragedy that befell a number of Australian people—citizens and residents—and their families on 17 July. It is an opportunity for us to express our deepest condolences, in this parliament, for the victims and their families.

We live in an increasingly interconnected world, where an event on one side of the world can have significant implications for Australia. That was brought home to me in the most graphic way on the morning of 18 July last. When my mobile phone started going off at about 2 am, my heart sank, for it is rarely good news at that hour. But not in my worse dreams did I imagine that a commercial airliner—a Malaysia Airlines plane no less—in commercial airspace would be shot down by Russian backed separatists over eastern Ukraine, and that the wreckage would essentially be landing in a war zone. As daylight came, a fuller picture of the situation emerged and it was clear what confronted us: an aeroplane full of happy families, academics and medical professionals, business men and women, and other travellers were flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when the plane was shot down. Two hundred and ninety-eight passengers and crew were killed, including 38 people who called Australia their home—innocent victims of a war in which they had no involvement, they chose no side.

Even at that early stage, on the morning of 18 July, our advice indicated that it was a surface-to-air missile from Ukrainian territory under the control of Russian backed rebels, and nothing I have learned since that date has changed my view. It was and is a crime that requires an independent, impartial international investigation. But the government knew that bringing the Australian victims home with all the dignity and respect they deserved was our priority, and that meant we had to access the crash site. For that to happen, we needed to gain the support of the international community. That was essential.

We made calls to counterpart ministers in affected countries: Ukraine, the Netherlands, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom and Belgium. Over two days in New York, the Australian delegation worked tirelessly to build support for access to the site by international investigators because we were determined to bring our people home. I thank Ambassador Gary Quinlan for his advice and assistance in building a coalition of countries demanding a clear and unequivocal response by the United Nations Security Council.

I take this opportunity to acknowledge the remarkable work done by the officials and staff at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade who worked around the clock during this period. Immediately upon hearing the news, the department established a 24-hour crisis centre. That centre would continue for a 68 eight-hour shifts involving 115 staff. A six-member MH17 task force was created, headed by Justin Brown, to lead on policy coordination, briefing and liaison. They would produce 70 briefs for the government, 55 situation reports and 20 briefings to the National Security Committee of Cabinet as we worked hard to ensure that we could fulfil our mission to bring our people home and establish an independent investigation. Fifty-six Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade staff were deployed to Ukraine, 18 to the Netherlands, as part of a specially trained emergency response team. The leadership provided by our special envoy in Kiev, Angus Houston; the Australian ambassador in Warsaw, Jean Dunn; and Angela Macdonald and Amanda Gorely in Kiev was invaluable. The work of the dedicated consular case officers assigned to each MH17 family, perhaps the most difficult of all assignments, deserves the highest praise. Having spoken to the families of the victims, I know how heartbreaking this work must have been. So I thank everyone in my department involved in bringing home the Australian victims—and I know their work is ongoing—on behalf of the families and the Australian people. They have served our country with distinction.

The pain and the anguish felt by the families will continue, but the Australian government were determined, with the support of the opposition, to do what we could to ensure that they were enveloped within the Australian community. We will continue to support them in their hour of need. The Australian people can be assured that, when our country faces a crisis or a challenge of this magnitude, we can rise to the task.

See this speech in context