Interview with Natalie Barr, Sunrise

NATALIE BARR: It'sthe second earthquake to strike Indonesia in recent days, with tremors felt asfar away as Jakarta. Joining us now, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop who is inBali today. Morning to you, Minister. You landed in Indonesia shortly after thequake hit. The pictures we're seeing are devastating. How bad is it on theground?

JULIE BISHOP: Good morning Nat. The death toll iscontinuing to rise. The authorities put it at about 98 but it could well gohigher. The damage on Lombok island is widespread. The epicentre of the quakewas in northern Lombok and so we've set up a consular post at the Aruna Hotelin Senggigi, that's in the northern part of Lombok. We also have consular staffat Lombok airport, so we are assisting Australians, and Canadians because wehave an arrangement to assist Canadians in trouble as well, and we're assistingthem with their needs and to help them leave if they wish to. The widespreaddamage is quite apparent and we are working with local authorities to do whatwe can to help people in need, but it will take some time before the Indonesianauthorities can fully assess the extent of the damage from what is the secondvery serious earthquake in just a week, and there were aftershocks last nightas well, adding to the chaos.

NATALIE BARR: Absolutelyfrightening for them, the aftershocks as well. What's your advice for Aussieson holiday there, should they try and leave and are there a lot still onLombok?

JULIE BISHOP: I understand there are still quite a numberof Australians on Lombok, in the hundreds, not in the thousands like we havehere on Bali, but a number of them are fine and they're choosing to stay.Others who were in affected areas are choosing to leave. Likewise on GiliIsland, that's a group of islands near Lombok, there are Australians on GiliIslands. They can be evacuated if they choose to do so but others are staying.I've in fact been in touch with one Australian on Gili Island who has chosen tostay because the hotel's okay, but if people do want to be evacuated, theairports are still operating and you can be evacuated off Gili Island by boat.

NATALIE BARR: Okay,Australia is a close, very important neighbour to Indonesia. How are wesupporting the recovery?

JULIE BISHOP: I've been in contact with my counterpart,Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. She will in fact be here in Bali today for theBali Process. That's a meeting of nations in the region on people smuggling andhuman trafficking and modern slavery, so there'll be a number of ministershere. I will talk to Retno Marsudi about any assistance we can provide and getan update on the situation but Australia stands ready to assist. We did havepre-positioned supplies like tents and basic equipment and food and water andthat was pre-positioned and we provided that to the Indonesian Red Cross foremergency requirements, but we stand ready to assist our neighbour should thatbe required.

NATALIE BARR: JulieBishop, thank you very much for your time this morning.