New Zealand to send disaster response team to Queensland

On 4 January Foreign Minister Murray McCully announced that New Zealand will send a Civil Defence emergency response team to Queensland to assist Australia in its response to the devastating floods.

The deployment comes after a phone conversation between the Australian and New Zealand Prime Ministers.

"Australia has always been ready to help when New Zealand is in need, as we saw most recently during the Pike River disaster," Minister McCully said.

"The New Zealand Government is pleased to be able to assist during this difficult time and we will be standing by if any further help is required."

Further information can be found at the Beehive website.