Defence chief's travel safety concern

Jonathan Pearlman
SMH, June 6, 2008

THE Chief of the Defence Force, Angus Houston, has called on the Government to use bigger jets for VIP travel to ensure that journalists do not have to fly on unsafe airlines in countries with poor aviation safety.
Media organisations have urged the Government to upgrade the Royal Australian Air Force planes since the Garuda crash in Indonesia last year, in which five Australians travelling for an official visit by Alexander Downer were killed.
Air Chief Marshal Houston has told a Senate committee "the 737 aircraft is too small" and the Government should buy or lease bigger VIP aircraft.
"It is imperative we look after our journalists in places where the airline standards are perhaps not as high as they are in our own country," he said. "I think it is fine if you are in Australia, but when you are travelling in many places around the world, there are concerns about certain carriers and their particular airworthiness and flying standards."
A spokesman for the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, said a plane had been chartered for journalists covering his upcoming visit to Japan and Indonesia.
"There has been some discussion for some time about the need to update the VIP fleet," Mr Rudd said. "No decision has yet been made."
Air Chief Marshal Houston said the Garuda crash had demonstrated the risks of continuing to use the current fleet.