Operation VIC FIRE ASSIST
15 February 2009
Prime Minister and Victorian Premier Visit Kinglake
The Prime Minister and the Premier of Victoria, along with Defence leaders, have both made a visit to the bushfire ravaged community of Kinglake.
The Prime Minister, the Hon. Kevin Rudd MP, accompanied by Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, toured the Civil Relief Centre, where they met with local residents before talking with Defence Health Support personnel, who have been providing medical and counselling services to the region.
The Prime Minister’s arrival coincided with a visit by Victorian Premier, the Hon. John Brumby MP, along with Acting Head of the Victoria Bushfire Recovery and Reconstruction Service, Major General John Cantwell AO, and Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon.
The Premier’s first stop was the Kinglake cricket ground, where he talked to troops from the Search Task Group (STG), part of the Victorian-based Joint Task Force supporting the bushfire relief effort.
Premier Brumby told the soldiers that the support they had provided over the past week had made a big difference in the lives of those people and communities affected by the bushfire.
Up to this point, the STG teams have searched more than 3000 premises in bushfire damaged areas, including Kinglake, Flowerdale, Marysville, Hazeldene, St Andrews, Yarra Glen, Whittlesea, Narbethong, Toolangi and Traralgon.
| 20090215adf8185016_0058 Joint Task Force 662 Search Task Group, Captain Daniel Strack (left), updates the Victorian Premier, the Hon. John Brumby (centre) and Major General John Cantwell, AO (right), on the progress of the search effort as part of the Australian Defence Force’s contribution to the continuing bushfire crisis in Victoria. (Date taken: 15 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090215adf8185016_0064 Premier of Victoria, the Hon. John Brumby, thanks the troops for their great work during the bushfire crisis in Victoria. The Premier is in the bushfire affected region to meet the troops and the community of Kinglake. (Date taken: 15 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090215adf8185016_0095 The Prime Minister, the Hon. Kevin Rudd MP, chats with local residents during a visit to the Civil Relief Centre in Kinglake. (Date taken: 15 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090215adf8185016_0113 The Prime Minister, the Hon. Kevin Rudd MP, chats with local residents during a visit to the Civil Relief Centre in Kinglake. (Date taken: 15 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090215adf8185016_0147 The Prime Minister, the Hon. Kevin Rudd MP, chats with local residents during a visit to the Civil Relief Centre in Kinglake. (Date taken: 15 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090215adf8185016_0269 Joint Task Force 662 Commander, Brigadier Michael Arnold, updates the Victorian Premier, the Hon. John Brumby (left), Major General John Cantwell, AO, (centre) and Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon on the progress of the search effort. (Date taken: 15 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090215adf8185016_0298 Premier of Victoria, the Hon. John Brumby MP, thanks the troops for their great work during the bushfire crisis in Victoria. The Premier is in the bushfire affected region to meet the troops and the community of Kinglake. (Date taken: 15 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090215adf8185016_0308 Premier of Victoria, the Hon. John Brumby MP, thanks the troops for their great work during the bushfire crisis in Victoria. The Premier is in the bushfire affected region to meet the troops and the community of Kinglake. (Date taken: 15 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090215adf8185016_0358 The Prime Minister, the Hon. Kevin Rudd MP, chats with local residents during a visit to the Civil Relief Centre in Kinglake. (Date taken: 15 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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