Media Room: Media Releases

MSPA   550/10                                                                      Tuesday, 23 November 2010

Christmas interviews with Australian Defence Force personnel deployed on operations

WHAT:           Media agencies are invited to submit an expression of interest for a Christmas interview with Australian troops deployed on operations.

Approximately 3300 Australian Defence Force personnel are deployed on operations overseas and approximately 500 personnel are actively protecting Australia’s borders and offshore maritime interests.

WHEN:           Media are requested to submit their expression of interest to Defence Media Operations by calling (02) 6127 1999 or emailing mediaops@defence.gov.au no later than 5pm Friday, 10 December 2010. Earlier requests are more likely to be supported.

Registering your expression of interest:

The following information will be required when submitting requests:

1.      Your preferred operation for the interview (e.g. Afghanistan, East Timor, Solomon Islands etc).

2.      Preference for type of product (please include date and time, considering time differences between Australia and other areas of operations).  Please note that live television interviews by satellite can not be facilitated.

3.      The preferred Australian state of the ADF member with whom you would like to speak.

While efforts will be made to facilitate interview requests, operations remain ongoing and will take priority. As such, preference will be given to those agencies submitting early requests and to national media. Requests for pre-recorded interviews will also be given priority as they can be arranged around Task Group operational routines. Generic requests for ‘an ADF member’ from smaller regional localities are unlikely to be achievable. If we are unable to facilitate specific requests, a range of pre-recorded interviews and Christmas ‘shout-outs’ from ADF members on operations will be available on the Defence website Christmas webpage.

Late submissions for interviews cannot be facilitated.

For more information on global operations please visit:

http://www.defence.gov.au/opEx/global/index.htm

Media contact: Defence Media Operations: 02 6127 1999 or 0408 498 664