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We Shirtfront The Tsar; Abbott Says He Will Confront Putin Over MH17 At G20

Prime Minister Tony Abbott says he will “shirtfront” Russian President Vladimir Putin over the shooting of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17.

Abbott

Abbott made his comments at a media conference at Caval Ridge Mine in the Queensland electorate of Capricornia, held by Michelle Landry. He defended and praised the coal mining industry.

On Putin, Abbott said: “Look, I’m going to shirtfront Mr Putin – you bet I am. I’m going to be saying to Mr Putin – Australians were murdered and they were murdered by Russian-backed rebels using Russian supplied equipment. We are very unhappy about this. We accept that you didn’t want this to happen, but we now demand that you fully cooperate with the criminal investigation, and if the criminal investigation identifies suspects that you have some influence over, they’ve got to be produced and justice has got to be done.” [Read more…]


Federal Police To Join Multinational Mission At Flight MH17 Crash Site

The Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, held his seventh consecutive daily press conference today, appearing with the Federal Police Commissioner, Tony Negus, to announce that Australian police will join the Dutch-led multinational mission to the crash site of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17.

Abbott said the mission “will be swift”. He said the Australian Federal Police officers will not be armed and that “meticulous planning” has gone into mitigating the risks in a “difficult environment”.

Media release from Prime Minister Tony Abbott:

Operation Bring Them Home: AFP to Join Dutch-led Multinational Police Mission

Australia will contribute to a Dutch-led multinational police mission to the crash site of MH17. I expect the first contingent of Australian police will arrive at the crash site later today with Dutch colleagues to begin their important work.

First and foremost, the purpose of the mission is to recover further remains from the site. The police mission also will seek to remove wreckage from the site and, to the extent possible, obtain information that will assist investigators. [Read more…]


Abbott Holds Sixth Press Conference In Six Days On Flight MH17

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has held his sixth press conference in six days on the recovery operation for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17.

AbbottAs he has done throughout the week, Abbott stressed that Australia is engaged in a humanitarian operation.

Abbott said that “others can get involved if they wish in the politics of Eastern Europe. Our sole concern is to claim our dead and bring them home”.

He said: “That is our mission: to secure the remains, to assist the investigation, and to obtain justice for the victims and their loved ones.”

Abbott indicated that an agreement with the Ukrainian government to allow Australian police involvement in the investigation at the crash site has been negotiated but requires ratification by the Ukrainian parliament.

  • Listen to Abbott’s press conference (9m)

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Transcript of Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s Canberra press conference today.

ABBOTT: Thanks everyone for being here and thanks for being here on a Saturday.

What I wanted to do was give you an update on Operation Bring Them Home. [Read more…]


Another 100 Federal Police Deployed For MH17 Recovery; We Just Want To Bring Home Our Dead, Says Abbott

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has announced that a further 100 Australian Federal Police officers are being deployed to assist in the recovery and investigation of the attack on Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17.

Abbott-Negus

The contingent of police officers will leave today. They will be “pre-deployed” to The Netherlands. Some will be armed.

Abbott said the government is “close to finalising” an arrangement for Australian police to assist in the investigation. [Read more…]


Abbott Says 50 Australian Police Deployed For Operation Bring Them Home

Prime Minister Tony Abbott says around two hundred Australians have been deployed overseas as part of Operation Bring Them Home.

Abbott

Abbott said 50 Australian police have been pre-deployed to London, in anticipation that they can be sent to Ukraine to secure the crash site of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17. [Read more…]