THE HON JOEL FITZGIBBON MP
Minister for Defence
Friday, 23 May 2008
045/2008
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT SUPPORT TO BURMA
The Australian Government has announced today that Royal Australian Air Force C-
17 Globemaster aircraft will provide additional assistance to Burma’s cyclone victims.
The Australian Government has directed the Australian Defence Force to respond to
a request for assistance from the United Nations World Food Programme to transport
helicopters from South Africa to Thailand.
The helicopters will be used to transport vital aid and humanitarian assistance into
remote cyclone-affected areas of Burma.
“The Australian Government did not hesitate to support a World Food Program
request to assist with their current humanitarian operation into Burma,” said Minister
for Defence Joel Fitzgibbon.
“A Royal Australian Air Force C-17 Globemaster is now being prepared to travel to
South Africa where it will transport helicopters from Johannesburg to Bangkok to
assist in the international relief effort.”
“The World Food Program requested immediate support from a small number of
countries as commercial aircraft were not available in a suitable timeframe.”
“The ADF has the knowledge and experience to make an immediate and positive
contribution to this international humanitarian assistance effort,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.
Operation NARGIS ASSIST is the Australian Defence Force contribution to the
Australian Government’s response to the devastation in Burma caused by Cyclone
Nargis.
The ADF delivered over 30 tonnes of humanitarian assistance to Burma on 13 May.
Following an acceptance of Australian aid by the Burmese Government, the ADF
committed one C-17 Globemaster Aircraft to transport humanitarian aid supplies.
The Globemaster provides the ADF with a strategic airlift capability that is almost four
times that of the C-130 Hercules which makes it an ideal aircraft to deliver large
quantities of equipment or supplies over significant distances.
Media contacts:
Christian Taubenschlag (Joel Fitzgibbon):
02 6277 7800 or 0438 595 567
Defence Media Liaison:
02 6265 3343 or 0408 498 664
NEWS 
