The federal government has launched a new advertising campaign encouraging Australians to be better informed and prepared when travelling overseas.
Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop, actor Les Hill and members of Australia’s Twenty20 cricket team unveiled the Smartraveller ads today in Melbourne.
It coincides with the release of the inaugural Consular State of Play Report, which provides key statistics and trends about assistance provided to travellers in 2014-15.
Ms Bishop expressed concern about the number of Australians getting into trouble as a result of poor research and “stupidity”.
Ms Bishop said Australians made about 10 million overseas visits in 2014-15, with about 50,000 making emergency calls and another 1256 arrested.
“There are limits to what the Australian government can do for those travelling overseas,” she warned.
