MEDIA RELEASE
THE HON DR BRENDAN NELSON
Minister for Defence
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Friday, 4 August 2006
119/2006
DRAWDOWN OF ADF PERSONNEL SUPPORTING EVACUATION
OF AUSTRALIAN NATIONALS FROM LEBANON
Some of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel who deployed to support the
evacuation of Australian nationals from Lebanon as part of a coordinated
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade led whole-of-Government response have
started to return to Australia.
The Australian Government deployed about 120 ADF specialist personnel including
a team of 22 to support the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade staff in Beirut,
Cyprus and Turkey and a task force of 96 that included a command element, two
evacuee processing teams, liaison officers, movements officers, health specialists
and linguists. The Australian Defence Force has supported the evacuation of over
4900 Australians and over 1300 Foreign Nationals from Lebanon.
ADF personnel are being progressively withdrawn as elements are no longer
required. This is occurring in close consultation with the Department of Foreign
Affairs and Trade.
I thank the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for their outstanding
management of the evacuation process. This has been a very successful whole-ofgovernment activity. I also express my deepest gratitude to the ADF personnel who
have made an important contribution to the evacuation of Australian citizens.
Those personnel who are scheduled to return to Australia in the short term include:



An Air Force C130 Hercules aircraft and 20 personnel who provided air
movement for evacuees from Cyprus to Turkey, and subsequently within
Turkey. This aircraft returned to Sydney on 3 August.
An Army evacuee handling team that has been managing evacuees in Turkey
is expected to return over the weekend.
An Air Force evacuee handling team that is continuing to support evacuees
in Cyprus is expected to return next week.
ADF personnel working with Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Embassy staff
in Beirut and Cyprus will continue to provide support as long as it is required.
The Commander of the ADF Joint Task Force, Colonel Andrew Condon praised the
work of the ADF personnel.
“I think all Australians would be very proud of the work of the soldiers, sailors and
airmen and airwomen of the Joint Task Force in their efforts to assist fellow
Australians. Australian evacuees seeing our troops in uniform and hearing a
familiar accent, was immediately comforting and reassuring,” Colonel Condon said.
The Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston praised the
important support that the ADF has provided to the Department of Foreign Affairs
and Trade led operation.
“Our people have again responded rapidly by providing specialist capabilities when
they were needed,” said Air Chief Marshal Houston.
“This deployment again demonstrates the broad range of service that the ADF can
provide to support Australia’s national interests around the world. I am extremely
proud of what our personnel have achieved during this difficult period,” he said.
For a free subscription to Defence Direct, the Minister for Defence's monthly enewsletter, please follow this link:
<http://www.minister.defence.gov.au/defencedirect/spt/subscribe.html>
Media contacts
Nigel Blunden
Defence Media Liaison
(Dr Nelson)
02 6277 7800
02 6265 3343
www.defence.gov.au
0407 632 931
0408 498 664