TV interview – ABC Breakfast

E&OE

Subject: MH17 10th Anniversary

HOST, EMMA REBELLATO: Australia is determined to pursue justice for the victims of MH17 as families and communities gather across Australia and the world to remember those killed 10 years ago. 38 Australians were among the 298 passengers and crew who were killed when the plane was hit by a Russian made missile over Ukraine on July the 17th 2014. The Netherlands and Australia hold Russia responsible but Moscow still refuses to admit blame. Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has travelled to the Netherlands to meet with other nations still seeking justice, to represent Australia at a memorial day later today and joins us now from The Hague. Attorney-General, thank you very much for joining us on what is a very difficult day for so many people.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL MARK DREYFUS: It is indeed Emma, and it's good to be with you. I'm here in the Netherlands to commemorate the downing of MH17 on the 17th of July 2014, 10 years ago.

REBELLATO:What commemorations will take place today?

ATTORNEY-GENERAL: There's a commemoration in a few hours which is going to be attended by the King and Queen of the Netherlands, the current Prime Minister of the Netherlands and the former Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, who of course was Prime Minister at the time of the downing of MH17 in 2014. It will be a very sombre ceremony. There'll be many family and loved ones of those who died. I think people in Australia need to be aware that of the 298 people who perished on that plane 196 of them were Dutch. And so the event, while it made a terrible impact in Australia and 38 people who call Australia home died, it made a bigger impact still here in the Netherlands and that's why the ceremony is going to be attended by somewhere around 1500 people.

REBELLATO: You've been speaking with next of kin I understand?

ATTORNEY-GENERAL: Indeed II have. Earlier today I met with friends and family of those who died. They've come to the Netherlands to attend this ceremony tomorrow. And much earlier in the day I went to look at the reconstructed parts of MH17, which are in a hangar. The pieces were collected from the crash site in Ukraine, brought back here to the Netherlands and the front part of the plane reconstructed. It was a very moving sight, I have to say, to be standing inside the body of this reconstructed plane, knowing that it was the plane that carried 298 people to their deaths. And yet, the reconstruction is what has enabled us to pursue those responsible through legal proceedings, to obtain convictions in the District Court here in The Hague, against three perpetrators. And the evidence that was used from that reconstruction will also enable us to continue to pursue Russia, who of course, supplied the missile that was used to bring the plane down.

REBELLATO: Those three men were convicted in absentia, and many people still believe they haven't been brought to justice and you are continuing to pursue Russia as you said. But what is that process? How will you continue to pursue Russia? Will Russia ever be brought to justice over this?

ATTORNEY-GENERAL: We're not going to let go of this. The three men who've been convicted, we will continue to pursue them and our aim is to have them in prison at some point. With Russia, we have current proceedings which we are bringing with the Netherland in the International Civil Aviation Organization. They're novel proceedings that haven't been tried before, but we hope through that means which Russia has delayed and obfuscated at every turn, we hope by that means to bring Russia to account for the role that it played in this terrible event.

REBELLATO: Mark Dreyfus, we're all thinking of the families today of all those killed, of course, particularly the Australians, the 38 Australians. You are in The Hague in your capacity as Attorney-General. So while I have you, I'd really like to ask you a couple of issues that are happening here at home. I'd like to ask you about the CFMEU will the Government announce an independent administrator to look into the CFMEU and will that extend beyond the Victorian branch?

ATTORNEY-GENERAL: Emma, I'm here in The Hague to assist in the commemoration of a dreadful event that took place 10 years ago and I'm not going to be talking about events at home. I'm here with very much a single-minded focus and I think out of respect for the family and loved ones of those who perished I'm going to talk about that.

REBELLATO: I completely understand. I'll just ask you again about Russia. As we pursue Russia, you said you won't stop until you get justice. How long do you think that could take? How can you get justice if Russia particularly doesn't admit that it's done anything?

ATTORNEY-GENERAL: Russia has already been found by a court here in The Hague to be responsible for the supply of the missile. The people who fired the missile were assisted by Russia. We already know what happened here. We're going to continue to pursue Russia through every means possible. The Netherlands has got a case against Russia in the European Court of Human Rights. We, together with The Netherlands, have a case against Russia in the International Civil Aviation Organization. We've had one hearing already, we're expecting another hearing in October this year and we won't let this go until we've brought Russia to account and brought to account all those responsible for this terrible event.

REBELLATO: Mr Dreyfus you'll be giving a speech at the commemorations later today. What will be one of the main messages that you will be giving in that stage?

ATTORNEY-GENERAL: One of the main messages in the speech that I'm going to give today at the commemoration is a message of sorrow, but equally a message that Australia is determined, in the memory of those who died, to continue to bring to justice all those who were responsible. So, it's a message of sorrow, but also a message of determination that we're not going to let this go.

REBELLATO: Mark Dreyfus, I can only imagine what a difficult day this will be for so many families and also for you and other officials who will be there today. So we will no doubt be thinking of everyone today. Thank you so much for joining us this morning.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL:  Thank you. Thank you very much.

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