Australia stands ’shoulder to shoulder’ with Tonga, says PM

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has reassured the Tongan Prime Minister Australia is standing “shoulder to shoulder“ with the island nation amid relief operations. The federal government committed a $1 million dollar package towards the recovery effort and loaded two RAAF aircraft with vital supplies, ready to depart on Thursday. HMAS Adelaide is also preparing to depart from Brisbane with water purification equipment and additional humanitarian supplies.