Army farewells Australian soldiers

More than 100 Australian Defence Force soldiers were on Monday farewelled at the PNGDF Air Transport Wing at Jackson International Airport at the end of their election duties.
The PNG Defence Force, showing its appreciation for the assistance, put on a farewell party and acknowledged the support and the friendship the two forces had developed.
PNGDF Defence Force chief of operations Col Sialle Diro, on behalf of commander Brig-Gen Gilbert Toropo, said the people of PNG were grateful for their help.
“We are grateful for your support. You have started our democracy, created PNG Defence Force, created PNGDF Air Transport Wing and handed them over to us and now we are progressing,” Diro said.
Diro said PNG was a land of a thousand tribes and protecting its democracy was “one of the important activities our country enters into every five years”.
In return, ADF joint taskforce group commander Lt-Col Travis Gordon thanked PNGDF and said that it was an honour to serve Papua New Guinea as the election was an event for the entire country.