Phillip Coorey
SMH, April 7, 2008
THE Government is likely to upgrade the RAAF jets used for VIP travel after the two 737s leased by the Howard government proved to be inadequate.
As well as representations by media organisations last year following the Garuda plane crash in Indonesia, the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, is being urged by those at the most senior levels in the defence forces to upgrade the fleet. They are pushing him to lease two Airbus A-330s, the same as those being brought into service by the RAAF to use as refuellers and for transporting troops overseas and back.
The lease on the 737s expires in 2014, but there is a provision to turn them over next year.
John Howard settled on the 737s despite arguments that they would be too small to take the media and even all his staff.
The planes are ill suited for long flights. Those still steaming over the decision, including high-ranking military officials, blame Mr Howard's former chief of staff, Max Moore-Wilton.
Phillip Coorey
Monday, April 7, 2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Rudd marks Garuda crash
SMH, March 8, 2008
THE five Australians killed in last year's plane crash in Indonesia were remembered yesterday by the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, as passionate Australians.
Mr Rudd also paid tribute to the Herald journalist Cynthia Banham, who was severely injured in the Garuda crash on March 7 last year that killed 21 people when the Boeing 737 overshot the Yogyakarta airport runway and exploded.
Mr Rudd said his thoughts and prayers were with the families and friends. Five passionate Australians had died "vigorously pursuing their professions, in the prime of their lives", he said.
Private commemorations were held in Canberra and Jakarta for the federal police agents Brice Steele and Mark Scott, AusAID official Allison Sudradjat, Department of Foreign Affairs official Liz O'Neill and Australian Financial Review journalist Morgan Mellish, who died in the crash.
They were among government officials and reporters covering a visit to Indonesia by the then foreign minister, Alexander Downer. He was not on the plane.
Mr Rudd said the federal police would pay tribute to their officers, along with others who had lost their lives in the line of duty, on National Police Remembrance Day on September 29. The Department of Foreign Affairs and AusAID had created scholarships and annual awards. The first six AusAID scholarships will be announced on March 17.
Mr Rudd said the " efforts of Cynthia Banham and her partner, Michael Harvey, to rebuild their lives is a humbling tribute to the power of the human spirit".
Caroline Mellish, the sister of Mr Mellish, said she was disappointed Indonesia had not moved to improve air safety. "The investigation itself, I believe, has been thorough," she told Nine Network.
Phillip Hudson and AAP
THE five Australians killed in last year's plane crash in Indonesia were remembered yesterday by the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, as passionate Australians.
Mr Rudd also paid tribute to the Herald journalist Cynthia Banham, who was severely injured in the Garuda crash on March 7 last year that killed 21 people when the Boeing 737 overshot the Yogyakarta airport runway and exploded.
Mr Rudd said his thoughts and prayers were with the families and friends. Five passionate Australians had died "vigorously pursuing their professions, in the prime of their lives", he said.
Private commemorations were held in Canberra and Jakarta for the federal police agents Brice Steele and Mark Scott, AusAID official Allison Sudradjat, Department of Foreign Affairs official Liz O'Neill and Australian Financial Review journalist Morgan Mellish, who died in the crash.
They were among government officials and reporters covering a visit to Indonesia by the then foreign minister, Alexander Downer. He was not on the plane.
Mr Rudd said the federal police would pay tribute to their officers, along with others who had lost their lives in the line of duty, on National Police Remembrance Day on September 29. The Department of Foreign Affairs and AusAID had created scholarships and annual awards. The first six AusAID scholarships will be announced on March 17.
Mr Rudd said the " efforts of Cynthia Banham and her partner, Michael Harvey, to rebuild their lives is a humbling tribute to the power of the human spirit".
Caroline Mellish, the sister of Mr Mellish, said she was disappointed Indonesia had not moved to improve air safety. "The investigation itself, I believe, has been thorough," she told Nine Network.
Phillip Hudson and AAP
Newspapers announce Indonesia scholarships
SMH, March 8, 2008
A Scholarship program to help Indonesian journalists and photographers gain experience in Australia was launched yesterday by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian Financial Review on the first anniversary of the Yogyakarta plane crash.
Two scholarships of $5000 each will be offered annually to help promising Indonesian journalists or photographers visit Australia, where they will be hosted by the newspapers.
Currently there are very limited opportunities for Indonesian journalists to visit Australia and benefit from the professional and cultural experiences of working here.
The program was launched by the editor of the Herald, Alan Oakley, the editor of the AFR, Glenn Burge, and the chief executive officer of Fairfax Media, David Kirk.
They said the scholarships were an opportunity for the two newspapers, whose staff suffered physical and emotional blows from the plane crash, to build on their ties with Indonesia and to honour their many journalists who have reported with distinction from Indonesia.
"We expect the new scholarships will forge rewarding ties with our counterparts in Indonesia and deliver ongoing benefits to journalists and photographers in both countries," they said in a statement.
Five Australians died in the Yogyakarta tragedy, including the Financial Review journalist Morgan Mellish. The Herald journalist Cynthia Banham was severely injured.
Fairfax Media is funding the scholarships, with full support from the publishers of the Herald and Financial Review.
The Financial Review has also established an annual scholarship to allow one of its reporters to study and travel in Asia, to continue the journalism Mellish was pursuing.
A Scholarship program to help Indonesian journalists and photographers gain experience in Australia was launched yesterday by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian Financial Review on the first anniversary of the Yogyakarta plane crash.
Two scholarships of $5000 each will be offered annually to help promising Indonesian journalists or photographers visit Australia, where they will be hosted by the newspapers.
Currently there are very limited opportunities for Indonesian journalists to visit Australia and benefit from the professional and cultural experiences of working here.
The program was launched by the editor of the Herald, Alan Oakley, the editor of the AFR, Glenn Burge, and the chief executive officer of Fairfax Media, David Kirk.
They said the scholarships were an opportunity for the two newspapers, whose staff suffered physical and emotional blows from the plane crash, to build on their ties with Indonesia and to honour their many journalists who have reported with distinction from Indonesia.
"We expect the new scholarships will forge rewarding ties with our counterparts in Indonesia and deliver ongoing benefits to journalists and photographers in both countries," they said in a statement.
Five Australians died in the Yogyakarta tragedy, including the Financial Review journalist Morgan Mellish. The Herald journalist Cynthia Banham was severely injured.
Fairfax Media is funding the scholarships, with full support from the publishers of the Herald and Financial Review.
The Financial Review has also established an annual scholarship to allow one of its reporters to study and travel in Asia, to continue the journalism Mellish was pursuing.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Air crash victims honoured today
Mark Forbes Herald Correspondent in Jakarta
SMH, March 7, 2008
FRIENDS, family and colleagues will place flowers and light candles in Australia and Jakarta this morning in memory of the five Australians who died in the Garuda plane crash a year ago.
Small ceremonies will be held at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Canberra and Australia's Jakarta embassy at 7am Indonesian time, when candles will be lit about the same time the Boeing 737 overshot the Yogyakarta runway.
There will be no speeches, just an opportunity for the close-knit communities of diplomats, police and journalists who were rocked by tragedy to remember the five popular, respected victims. All were on the flight for a visit to Yogyakarta by the then foreign affairs minister, Alexander Downer.
At the embassy's entrance, guests will pay their respects before a plaque honouring the five. A similar gathering will be held in the foyer of the department's Canberra headquarters
Jakarta-based international correspondents will also gather this evening to remember Morgan Mellish, a journalist with The Australian Financial Review who perished in the crash. Plans to establish a scholarship for reporters will be announced.
It is just one of several ways in which the memory of their five - and their passion for public service and international work - will continue.
Friends and family have established the Morgan Mellish Foundation in Australia raising funds for international and local charities. The Elizabeth O'Neill Journalism Award has been instituted in the name of the diplomat, allowing young Indonesian and Australian journalists to explore and understand each other's nations.
Leading Indonesian students have also been the recipients of study grants named after AusAid's Indonesia head, Allison Sudradjat.
Twenty-one people died in the crash and the Herald journalist Cynthia Banham was severely injured. The other Australian victims were senior Australian Federal Police agents Brice Steele and Mark Scott.
Indonesian police want the pilot, Martowo Komar, to face criminal negligence charges.
SMH, March 7, 2008
FRIENDS, family and colleagues will place flowers and light candles in Australia and Jakarta this morning in memory of the five Australians who died in the Garuda plane crash a year ago.
Small ceremonies will be held at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Canberra and Australia's Jakarta embassy at 7am Indonesian time, when candles will be lit about the same time the Boeing 737 overshot the Yogyakarta runway.
There will be no speeches, just an opportunity for the close-knit communities of diplomats, police and journalists who were rocked by tragedy to remember the five popular, respected victims. All were on the flight for a visit to Yogyakarta by the then foreign affairs minister, Alexander Downer.
At the embassy's entrance, guests will pay their respects before a plaque honouring the five. A similar gathering will be held in the foyer of the department's Canberra headquarters
Jakarta-based international correspondents will also gather this evening to remember Morgan Mellish, a journalist with The Australian Financial Review who perished in the crash. Plans to establish a scholarship for reporters will be announced.
It is just one of several ways in which the memory of their five - and their passion for public service and international work - will continue.
Friends and family have established the Morgan Mellish Foundation in Australia raising funds for international and local charities. The Elizabeth O'Neill Journalism Award has been instituted in the name of the diplomat, allowing young Indonesian and Australian journalists to explore and understand each other's nations.
Leading Indonesian students have also been the recipients of study grants named after AusAid's Indonesia head, Allison Sudradjat.
Twenty-one people died in the crash and the Herald journalist Cynthia Banham was severely injured. The other Australian victims were senior Australian Federal Police agents Brice Steele and Mark Scott.
Indonesian police want the pilot, Martowo Komar, to face criminal negligence charges.
Garuda victims remembered one year on
Garuda victims remembered one year on
A private ceremony will be held in Jakarta today to mark the first anniversary of the Garuda plane crash in Jogjakarta.
Twelve months ago today, Garuda Flight 200 left Jakarta for Jogjakarta, where an attempt to land too fast caused the jet to crash and burst into flames.
Five Australians were among the 21 people killed.
They were two Australian Federal Police officers, Mark Scott and Brice Steele, AusAid's Indonesia head, Alison Sudrajat and the spokeswoman for Australia's Jakarta embassy, Liz O'Neill.
The Australian Financial Review's Jakarta correspondent Morgan Mellish was also killed.
They will be remembered in a private ceremony at the Australian embassy in Jakarta this morning.
ABC News
A private ceremony will be held in Jakarta today to mark the first anniversary of the Garuda plane crash in Jogjakarta.
Twelve months ago today, Garuda Flight 200 left Jakarta for Jogjakarta, where an attempt to land too fast caused the jet to crash and burst into flames.
Five Australians were among the 21 people killed.
They were two Australian Federal Police officers, Mark Scott and Brice Steele, AusAid's Indonesia head, Alison Sudrajat and the spokeswoman for Australia's Jakarta embassy, Liz O'Neill.
The Australian Financial Review's Jakarta correspondent Morgan Mellish was also killed.
They will be remembered in a private ceremony at the Australian embassy in Jakarta this morning.
ABC News
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
