More Defence news: 08 October - 14 October 2007
| Trooper Pearce returns home | Public release of information by the ADF | Bosses to stretch at RAAF Base Amberley | Survey to chart Torres Strait and Northern Great Barrier Reef |
| TROOPER PEARCE RETURNS HOME 13 October -Trooper David Pearce has returned to Australia, met by family, friends and colleagues in an emotional ceremony in his home state of Queensland at RAAF Base Amberley. A Guard and Bearer Party of soldiers from the 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment (Queensland Mounted Infantry), the regiment in which David proudly served, received and carried the casket from the aircraft. It had earlier been part of a Ramp Ceremony upon departure from Afghanistan. Trooper Pearce’s family and closest friends were present for the solemn occasion. His wife, Nicole, and their two children were able to pay their respects to him in a dignified and intimate manner. Trooper David Pearce died while serving with Reconstruction Task Force in Uruzgan Province in southern Afghanistan on Monday, 8 October 2007. More: Read media release | Imagery | Hear audio regarding Ramp Ceremony | VALE: Trooper David Pearce |
| PUBLIC RELEASE OF INFORMATION BY THE ADF BY BRIGADIER ANDREW NIKOLIC, DIRECTOR GENERAL PUBLIC AFFAIRS 11 October - Trooper David Pearce's tragic death in Afghanistan from a Taliban roadside bomb rightly raises questions about the flow of information to the Australian public from Defence. It is often said that there is a tension between the interests of military forces to control information and the desire of the media to publish or broadcast. Balancing these interests is difficult, but neither the media nor the military are helped by absurd claims in some newspapers this week that Defence kept David Pearce's death a “secret” for eight to ten hours before releasing detailed information. More: Read article in full |
| BOSSES TO STRETCH AT RAAF BASE AMBERLEY 11 October - Business owners and managers of Royal Australia Air Force Reservists from southern Queensland have stretched their knowledge of life in the Air Force during Exercise Executive Stretch (EES) at RAAF Base Amberley. The public and private sector employers were coordinated by Defence Reserves Support, the organisation available in each state and territory to assist Reservists and their employers. About 23 business people and public sector managers took part in the event designed to educate them about the benefits of employing Reservists. To nominate for the next EES in your area or learn more, log on to the Defence Reserves Support website. |
| SURVEYING TO CHART TORRES STRAIT AND NORTHERN GREAT BARRIER REEF 10 October - The Federal Government is giving high priority to combating illegal foreign fishing, assisting the Royal Australian Navy with $18.5m to facilitate charting of the Torres Strait and northern Great Barrier Reef over the next three years. This initiative to provide accurate charting of the northern waters of Australia will enable Defence and other enforcement agency vessels to navigate safely in waters where illegal activity may be occurring. More than 12,000 square kilometres will be surveyed during this project, with survey and charting work being undertaken by contract surveyors. Australian Hydrographic Service (AHS) survey assets, including Royal Australian Navy vessels, will also be used to increase survey area coverage. More: Read media release | RAN Hydrographic Service |