Mark Bishop (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence and the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs in this place, Senator Faulkner. Can the minister provide the Senate with information about the status of the search and recovery mission for the Tongan ferry MV Princess Ashika, and the involvement of the Australian and New Zealand defence forces in that operation?

John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senators would be aware that the Tongan ferry MV Princess Ashika sank on 6 August and 93 people were lost in the disaster. Australia, with New Zealand, immediately responded to a request by the Tongan government for assistance to search for and recover human remains. Australia provided a Navy clearance diving team and support personnel. I now have further information on the recovery operation and the difficulties of the mission.

Initial reconnaissance searches to establish the exact location of the wreck were not successful. On 11 August, the Navy clearance diving team completed a dive to 50 metres at the suspected site of the sunken ferry. Despite good water visibility, they were unable to positively identify the MV Princess Ashika. This morning, the Royal New Zealand Navy deployed a remotely operated vehicle. I am advised that they are confident they have located the Tongan ferry MV Princess Ashika sitting upright in 110 metres of water. I am very sorry to have to inform the Senate the  Tongan ferry Princess Ashika has been found in such deep water that it is beyond the dive capability of the Navy clearance diving team. I can say, however, that our recovery team in Tonga are now evaluating the situation to determine what other recovery measures might be able to be taken.

Mark Bishop (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister outline the assistance Australia has provided to Tonga for this exercise?

John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Bishop for his supplementary question. During the Pacific Islands Forum, the Tongan government requested assistance from Australia and New Zealand with the recovery efforts. On 7 August, the Air Force flew a C130 Hercules to Tonga. Thirty-one personnel were deployed to assist in this operation, including a 16-man Navy clearance diving team. A second sortie on 8 August delivered the remaining equipment required to allow the diving phase of the operation to begin. Our equipment included underwater cutting and lifting tools, as well as imagery and sonar capability and internal medical support, including a deployable decompression chamber for emergency use if required by our personnel.

Mark Bishop (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Can the minister update the Senate about our relationship with Tonga and our capacity to assist our regional neighbours with emergencies?

John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is an important matter. Of course, Australia is committed to supporting, as it has for a very long time, its regional neighbours in times of crisis. We also maintain teams ready to deploy at short notice for emergencies in the region. Australian enjoys a close and productive relationship with Tonga. This close relationship can be no more clearly defined than by the Defence Cooperation Program with Tonga, which is currently in its 21st year, providing a wide variety of military assistance to the Tongan Defence Service. The Tongan Defence Service is a small but very capable military force that plays an important role in operations such as the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands. At this time our thoughts are with the Tongan community for this ferry disaster. (Time expired)