Today Show

E&OE TRANSCRIPT TODAY Show, Canberra 18 July 2014 SUBJECT: Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 KARL STEFANOVIC: Are you able to give us any information from the Government or perspective on this crash first of all this morning? CHRISTOPHER PYNE: Well the first thing I’d say is that it’s obviously an unspeakable tragedy. It’s a shocking, shocking thing to happen and almost everyone’s worst nightmare who are international travellers. It’s the inevitable consequence unfortunately of people trying to settle their differences through violence rather than through peaceful means. I can tell you that DFAT has established a 24-hour hotline. I think we’ve given the number to your people there so we might be able to flash it up on the screen but its 1300 555 135. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade do have concerns that there may well have been a number of Australians on board MH17, anybody who is concerned should ring 1300 555 135 and see what can be done to find out more information. That’s all I know at this stage. KARL STEFANOVIC: So Chris, obviously look there are two separate issues here first of all in dealing with this tragedy. If you are saying maybe a number of people, we have some shots from the area that appears to be one Australian passport there. We don’t know the context of that so it’s difficult to comment on. Are you saying at this point DFAT is looking to the possibility of a number of Australians being on board? CHRISTOPHER PYNE: Yes Karl unfortunately the information I received, obviously it’s extremely early days, but the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have said that they think that there could well have been a number of Australians on board. It’s one of those flights from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur of course that is heading in Australia’s direction and it would not be unlikely therefore for Australians to potentially be connecting with a flight home and even to Bali. I think there’s also footage of Bali travel books. There’s certainly footage of an Australian passport and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have other information that there are potentially a number of Australians on board and that’s why anyone who has information about family members or friends who may be travelling could contact that hotline. And if they simply want to seek information they should do so as well. ALICIA LOXLEY: We’re seeing the footage that you referred to. We’re also hearing just in that US intelligence agencies have confirmed that a surface to air missile was launched. So where to from here for the Australian Government? CHRISTOPHER PYNE: We obviously we’ll work closely with Ukrainian authorities, Dutch authorities and I’m sure we’ll seek the assistance of the United States about their intelligence to find out exactly what happened and why. It’s quite clear this is a very dangerous part of the world. Malaysian Airlines were flying in that airspace, I’m pleased to say Qantas doesn’t fly in that airspace. And I’d be very surprised if anybody does in the foreseeable future and as I said when terrorist organisations and Governments can’t settle their differences peacefully these kind of random, tragic, horrific acts can happen and our heart goes out to the families of those 295 victims of another act of terrorism. KARL STEFANOVIC: Just on that, the ongoing conflict. I know that this morning there was some high level discussion about sanctions at an international level being placed on Russia and its continued involvement with the separatists in terms of politically but also with the supplying of military hardware to that area. Where are we placed now diplomatically in terms of Australia’s viewpoint on Russia? If this turns out to be the case in these early days does it heighten the international movement against Russia? Just paint a picture for us diplomatically. CHRISTOPHER PYNE: Well I’m quite sure the western nations and the NATO nations would like Russia to play a constructive role in settling the differences in the Ukraine between the Russian separatists in the east and the Ukrainian government in Kiev. Quite clearly this tragedy, this shocking tragedy, may well be the catalyst that causes the protagonists in the debate around the Ukraine to settle their differences rather than exacerbate them. Russia is the largest country in that part of the world and it should play a leading role, a leading role, in settling differences and not exacerbate them. ALICIA LOXLEY: Anthony Albanese we might bring you in at this point. Just take us through your thoughts on this tragedy this morning. ANTHONY ALBANESE: Well it’s obviously just such a horrific tragedy and the hearts go out to the families of the 280 passengers and 15 crew who have been on board this airline. Of course at the moment there would be many times that we’d be concerned about their families because there would be some uncertainty about whether or not a loved one would be on that particular flight. That route through KL to Amsterdam would be one where it would surprise frankly if there weren’t a number of Australians on board and Malaysian airlines of course service Australia substantially and it is quite a popular way to get to Europe. I think the fact that Australia is on the United Nations security council means that Australian will play a role through the United Nations body, along with other countries in examining, over a period of time of course, exactly what has occurred and how there needs to be a response to make sure this sort of tragedy doesn’t occur. KARL STEFANOVIC: Anthony you know as well as Christopher that dealing with Vladimir Putin and Russia is incredibly difficult at the best of times. ANTHONY ALBANESE: Look it certainly can be he is a very much a he would classify himself as a strong leader, I think many others would use different terms. What’s very clear is that Russia must play a constructive role rather than one that promotes the sort of feelings that lead to this sort of conflict through violence, if this indeed turns out to be a plane shot down that is an extraordinary circumstance you do have from time to time tragedies in terms of air travel. Passenger aircraft if it has been shot down, that would be quite an extraordinary event and all responsible nations need to condemn that event and do what they can to bring justice to the perpetrators of it and also to make sure we do get a settling down of the conflict that has been in that part of the world in recent times. ALICIA LOXLEY: Christopher Pyne I might bring you back in here, it’s difficult diplomatically though isn’t it because as Mark Burrows was talking about before, Vladimir Putin has an out here, he could disown the rebels and say they had nothing to with it, so it is a difficult situation people are going to be looking for accountability here out of the tragedy like this, but you know it’s really difficult. CHRISTOPHER PYNE: Well certainly we’ll be looking for accountability. Someone will need to be responsible for this heinous crime. There is no doubt the plane was shot out of the sky and there is no doubt the Russian separatists have been encouraged by other people in that part of the world to believe they should be seeking independence from Kiev. Now this may well be the catalyst that causes Russia to rethink their approach to the Russian separatists in Ukraine, to rethink the role that they have been playing in encouraging a belief that those Russian separatists might have support. It’s time that Kiev and the Russian separatists in Eastern Ukraine work together to resolve their differences, why should these 295 entirely innocent people have lost their lives because of a dispute between different groups in another country of which most people would have had absolutely no connection on that Malaysian airline flight, so Vladimir Putin and the Russians do need to be working closely with both Kiev and the Russian separatists to resolve differences. But of course I would say we don’t want to assume the Russians had anything to do with this terrible tragedy, it seems much more likely that it was a random event on the ground that the Russians have had absolutely nothing to do with, so we shouldn’t leap to the conclusion that somehow Russia is involved, but I think we can say that Russia needs to play a constructive role in settling issues rather than encouraging a belief that there is support for separatism in Ukraine. KARL STEFANOVIC: You’re right, 100 per cent right it’s early days, the supplying the continuous supplying of weapons might be an issue for them at some point as well. Christopher thank you so much for your time today, we really appreciate it, Anthony, on a very difficult day thank you. [ends]