Media Room: Defence Alert

RETURN TO AUSTRALIA OF CORPORAL MATHEW HOPKINS

WHAT:           The ramp service for the late Corporal Mathew Hopkins

WHEN:           Afternoon of Monday, 23^rd March 2009

WHERE:        RAAF Base Williamtown, NSW

BACKGROUND:

A Ramp Ceremony is to occur to honour the arrival home of Corporal Mathew Hopkins at RAAF Base Williamtown today. 

The Hon. Joel Fitzgibbon MP, Minister for Defence; the Hon. Bob Baldwin MP, Shadow Minister for Defence Science and Personnel representing the Shadow Minister for Defence; The Chief of Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston; The Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie; and Commander 1^st Brigade, Brigadier Michael Krause will be in attendance.

At the request of the family, media will not be invited to participate in this solemn event.

Media note: 

Vision  

Vision of today’s ceremony will be made available to Sydney Metropolitan networks via Channel 9. Please ring MAJ Andrew Bird on 0407 482 919 to confirm these arrangements and approximate timings.

Photography

Images of the service will be available from approximately 5:30pm from the Defence website at www.defence.gov.au/media/download

Media contact:  
Defence Media Liaison:                        02 6265 3343 or 0408 498 664