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.
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.
More wreckage and remains have been found at the crash site, Abbott said.
The Prime Minister said the sole objective of the government and Operation Bring Them Home is that “the remains can be recovered, the investigation can go ahead and justice can be done”.
Abbott said: “This is a humanitarian mission with a simple objective: to bring them home… all we want to do is claim our dead and bring them home.”
Abbott thanked Foreign Minister Julie Bishop for her “indefatigable” efforts. He also thanked Opposition Leader Bill Shorten for the support he has given to the government in recent days.
- Listen to Abbott & Negus (21m)
