| The Federal Government has confirmed troops from the Australian Army's Ready Deployment Force based in Townsville will be deployed to Solomon Islands by next Thursday. North Queensland Liberal MP Peter Lindsay says the Townsville contingent will provide security for a multi-national intervention force yet to be determined by federal Cabinet. He says Townsville's Lavarack Barracks and RAAF base Garbutt will be used as a staging base. "It's expected that several hundred troops will leave Townsville late next week about Thursday," he said. "But at this stage the national security council of Cabinet has still got to sign off and that sign-off is expected on Tuesday." Mr Lindsay says the Solomon Islands operation will not be on the same scale as Australia's role in East Timor. "There are some similarities but this is a specific situation where law and order has just broken down," he said. Australian troops will provide support in establishing lines of communications, clean water outside major centres and other logistical roles, as well as offering armed protection for Australia Federal Police. "The second battalion will have a very important role in providing that protection for the police force so that the police force can get on with the job of establishing law and order," Mr Lindsay said. |