Winter 2016
The quarterly magazine of MAF Australia
Flying oLife
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Kokoda Trek Join us in this adventure!
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South Sudan Reaching Every Village Winter 2016 Flying for Life 1
Arnhem Land: Watering the Earth MAF Australia: Kokoda Trek
From the interim CEO In 1942, the Kokoda Track area was the scene of bitter fighting. Today, walking the track has become a pilgrimage for many Australians, and those honouring the ANZAC spirit. One of the world’s greatest treks, the Kokoda Track links the south and north coast of Papua New Guinea across 96 kilometres of rugged mountain terrain, tropical rainforest and unspoiled villages. It is particualrly significant for MAF as it also represents the kind of geographical barriers that we are able to overcome with our aircraft. With this in mind, we are very pleased to annouce the Kokoda trek fundraiser for MAF in 2017. We're inviting you, or your loved ones, to join with us from the 29th of May to the 9th of June in walking the Kokoda Track. As part of this incredible adventure, you will trek the track by day, open to the harsh and inspiring beauty of Papua New Guinea’s ever-changing landscape. At night you will stay in secluded camps, sharing stories with locals and falling asleep to the nocturnal sounds of the jungle. And then, experience the arrival of an MAF aircraft first-hand, as one of our aircrafts pay you a visit. Weather permitting, and if all goes to plan, you will then also be able to take a 20 minute joy flight and see the Kokoda Track by air. Not for the faint-hearted, this truly is a once-ina-lifetime adventure. Best of all, with every step you take, you will raise vital funds to fuel lifesaving aircraft in Papua New Guinea. We hope to raise upwards of $60,000 for the work of MAF in these remote communities. Will you join us? Visit maf.org.au/kokoda or call us on 1800 650 169 Interim CEO Ian McDougall
2 Flying for Life Winter 2016 www.maf.org.au
Kokoda Trek o M AF
Trek the Kokoda Track Follow in the footsteps of Australian history Raise funds to fuel life-saving flights in PNG
FAST FACTS
HIGHLIGHTS
DATES: 29 May – 9 June 2017
Trek 96 kilometres through tropical rainforest, over mountainous terrain and into unspoiled villages along the legendary Kokoda Track
REGISTRATION FEE: $770 (non-refundable) FUNDRAISING TARGET: $4,000 (excludes travel) TRAVEL QUOTE: $5,145 including taxes* (can be fundraised) ACCOMMODATION: Twin-share in 3 star hotels and comfortable camping MINIMUM AGE: 18 (younger ages considered on application)
Discover the rugged beauty of the Papua New Guinea highlands and the colourful cultures of the region Follow in the footsteps of Australian history on an iconic pilgrimage
VISIT: www.maf.org.au/kokoda
See th Kokoda Track by air on board one of our MAF aircrafts (weather permitting)
*Subject to change
Raise funds to fuel life-saving flights in PNG
Winter 2016 Flying for Life 313
PNG: Whirlybirds and Witch-hunts
Whirlybirds
and
Wi
When Chris Unrau set off for a full day of airstrip surveys, he didn’t anticipate being overwhelmed by the beauty of PNG, or by the tough reality of people living out in the bush, desperately in need of an airstrip and living in fear of ‘sanguma’. Story Chris Unrau Photos Chris Unrau The airstrip in Paiela
O
ur pilot David stroked his pony-tail beard and talked himself through his pre-takeoff checks. The Bell 407 helicopter we were aboard was whining and whirring, the turbine engine screaming its presence above our heads. The machine groaned and shuddered a little as it broke free from the bonds of earth. We were airborne from Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea. Chris Unrau sitting in the copilot’s seat of the Bell 407 helicopter
4 Flying for Life Winter 2016 www.maf.org.au
A plastic bag works just fine for a hat
Airstrip assessment David pointed the helicopter to the Northwest and we began to make
tch -hunts our way towards Enga Province, where our mission of the day was to assess four airstrips and perform surveys on three of them. I was joined by John Bromley, CEO of the Rural Airstrip Agency, and Anton Lutz who grew up in PNG and knows the Enga province and the needs there. The RAA is an organisation that started several years ago with the aim to provide resources to communities to enable them to maintain their airstrips, open new ones, or restore airstrips that have become unusable. At one time there were as many as about 600 airstrips in PNG; today there are fewer than 300 that are usable. Seeing the obstacles After gathering data from the airstrips in various stages of construction, I had my work cut out for me. I would need to get back to my computer to process it all, but really I was trying to process in my own mind what I had just seen and experienced. Surreal is the best word I can find to describe it. The first strip we assessed was Paiela. Perched at the top of a mountain ridge, it abruptly stopped at
Photo: Airstrips are a lifeline to many communities throughout PNG. Villages are otherwise isolated by this mountainous terrain
each end, dropping hundreds of feet nearly straight down. By virtue of its location alone this community will be difficult, if not impossible, to serve with today’s modern, larger aircraft. Kenalipa was a small community that knows the value an airstrip would bring and are eager to make it happen. But despite herculean efforts to start the work, they may never see a viable airstrip open up. A mountain at the high end, a sharp drop off at the other and another mountain on the approach/departure path presents huge obstacles.
‘There’s something more pressing driving the need for airstrips in PNG.’ Long, dedicated work The work at Papake was incredible. Crews of young boys were swinging bush knives to clear vegetation, others were carrying roots, sticks and stumps and stacking them to be burned. But the hardest working people on the site were a group of ladies, barefoot, carrying sod chunks to the side and filling in gullies with large lumps of dirt. Two ladies had spades and would hack chunks of sod the size of a pillow, then others
would strain to lift them onto their shoulders and carry them away. The windrow of sod pieces stretched a couple hundred meters long, probably 1.5 meters in height. They had been doing this for a long time. It was an astonishing sight. At Yalum, the last strip we visited, anyone who wanted any education had to walk nine hours through the bush before reaching a road, where they could then hitch a ride to go further to find a school. Connecting communities I got to see for myself that there were a lot of people living in these communities in very primitive conditions. Some of the men wore only loin cloths. One man had a plastic bag for a hat. Many people had discolored or missing teeth. Few people had any footwear. Yet at one point, at least one cell phone was pulled out to take video footage of my drone in action! PNG is a country of many contradictions. It became more and more clear to me how much need there is in these communities. There are no doctors, nurses, or teachers at any of them. People are sick and dying of very treatable conditions. An airstrip would
Winter 2016 Flying for Life 5
PNG
A local woman and some children look on as the team surveys the airstrip
connect all of these communities and allow access to life-giving services.
A local man from the Enga province
John Bromley and Anton Lutz discuss the progress of the airstrip at Kenalipa.
‘And it brings them Jesus, who came to die for them so that others don’t have to.’
Witch-hunts As noble as it sounds – using airplanes to bring doctors, teachers, and nurses to remote communities – there’s something deeper, darker and even more pressing driving the need for airstrips in PNG. Sinister beliefs lurk in many communities and result in pain, suffering, and senseless deaths. In the remote border areas between Enga and Hela Provinces, where we were working, communities continue to struggle with beliefs that lead to witch-hunts. Despite what many of us westerners might think, witch-hunts were not eradicated in the middle ages. They’re alive and well. No matter your culture, death is painful and confusing. And when your education leads you to blame a person or spirit for every bad thing that happens, it further adds to the confusion. Witch-hunts in PNG are rooted in the need to assign blame or cause for misfortune or untimely death. When an untimely death occurs, be it for natural or accidental reasons, without the knowledge of science, people look for someone to blame to explain the sudden loss. They seek out ‘sanguma’ – sometimes translated as ‘witches’ – often women, who they can blame for the death. Understanding 'Sanguma' In the Hewa area where we were working, it is believed that these witch women possess spirits that have emerged to kill the other person. These spirits are invisible and mysterious, however, so how can these ‘witches’ be identified? In the Hewa, it’s believed that a person in their
6 Flying for Life Winter 2016 www.maf.org.au
dying moments can reveal who is causing their death, or perhaps an outsider can be brought in as a ‘witch-hunter’ and will ‘correctly’ assign the blame. In any case, once you have been accused as a witch, your days are most likely numbered. I had heard of these witch killings and accusations, having followed a few stories in the media. But it was really brought home to me with a visual that continues to reside in my memory, showing the gravity of the situation in that remote area. Anton opened his laptop, started up Google Earth, and began to show me locations of killings and accusations in the Hewa. A red person symbolized a witch killing, a yellow person symbolized an accusation. The map was littered with red and yellow. Lives snuffed out. Individuals and families who dread what is to come.
What the airstrip brings An airstrip brings health, education and development to remote communities, but it really brings much more than that. It brings them an opportunity to be released from the bondage of false beliefs, such as the need to label your neighbours as ‘witches’ and murder them. It brings them people who will help themunderstand these confusing events and teach them about a God that loves them. And it brings them Jesus, who came to die for them so that others don’t have to.
Light into darkness Thank you for helping us reach the remote!
We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who joined with us in our June appeal! You have made a tangible difference to remote communities all throughout PNG, bringing education, healthcare and hope to the most isolated. Have you seen the video? Visit www.maf.org.au/appeal Winter 2016 Flying for Life 713
South Sudan: Reaching 'Every Village'
Reaching 'Every Village' i
Pilot Dave Forney reported about his South Sudan trip with MAF’s wonderfu in Uganda, Dave spent a week in the far north of the world’s newest nation, Story Emilie Schweers Photos Dave Forney
E Malualkan airstrip in far northern, South Sudan
The MAF plane prepares to depart Mvolo
very Village is an organisation that aims to live up to its name by reaching every village in South Sudan with the Gospel and community development. They are using a four-pronged approach: First, they are sending short term missionaries to South Sudan, to build credibility and do survey work in the villages. Then they introduce the implementation of water wells to bring clean drinking water to villages. In the villages water is very scarce, so fulfilling one of the greatest physical needs of the people has a great impact: As they bring clean drinking water, they earn trust and respect. The third step is to share the Living Water with them: Long-term missionaries come to the villages to live with the people, learn their language and culture, and share the love of Jesus. And finally, they introduce Christian radio. In order to share the Gospel with the people they erect their own broadcasting towers and simple recording studios in remote areas and provide tens of thousands
8 Flying for Life Winter 2016 www.maf.org.au
of people with solar-powered, hand-held radios so that everyone can hear worship songs and teaching. The radio station broadcasts in the local language to reach
‘It's not easy for them by any means - it's a long-term commitment, to live a radical life with an eternal perspective' people from several isolated areas and from all walks of life. God’s love for South Sudan Pilot Dave Forney’s flights were carrying some American short-term missionaries to various villages. Other mission teams had already completed numerous projects, among them being the installation of a radio station and a broadcasting studio. They also prepared the construction of compounds for the long-term missionaries who will hopefully arrive in the village soon. Dave was moved by the love of the missionaries
in South Sudan
ul partner organisation 'Every Village'. Usually a pilot , supporting Every Village’s short-term missionaries. The MAF aircraft on the airstrip in Mvolo, South Sudan
for the people of South Sudan: “We know most of the Every Village missionaries living 'up country' and they are really great folks! We love and respect them all. It's not easy for them by any means--it's a long-term commitment, to live a radical life with an eternal perspective.” Praying over a Tower During their week-long trip, Dave took the team to see the progress of the new radio station that is currently being built in Mvolo (in the Western Equatoria region). The radio tower had been set up in the past months, and a simple studio building is currently under construction nearby. The team prayed over the tower and for the future radio ministry that will reach hundreds of thousands of people from this location in future. Lives are Changed Eternally in Aweil At the Every Village location up in Aweil, Dave was able to witness first-hand what is reportedly a ‘typical scene’ of families in the
mud-hut villages gathering around their little blue radios provided by Every Village, and listening to the only radio station available in their heart language. Dave was amazed to see how much the people enjoyed the Christian radio: “It's a very powerful tool that can reach hundreds of thousands of people from each radio tower. One can only guess the eternal impact that the radio is having throughout South Sudan!” In Aweil, he also met a very smart and motivated young man named Joseph. The well-educated 26 year old Kenyan is managing the radio station and other projects in the remote village of South Sudan, rather than living the 'easy life' in a major city, earning a high income and enjoying great public respect by influential people. Dave was very impressed with this young man and reported: “Rarely have I met a man of his age, with so much wisdom, insight, and humility, and with such a knowledge and love of the Word. This is a guy who most definitely has an eternal perspective--laying up his treasures in
Praying over the radio tower
Winter 2016 Flying for Life 9
South Sudan
The Every Village team interacting with and praying for and over the local people of Mvolo
heaven, rather than worrying about his riches here on earth.” Joseph is surely not only inspiring Dave, but also many other people who have the pleasure of meeting him. It’s fantastic to see how God is using people like Joseph to change lives eternally and build His kingdom in the remote places of South Sudan. The children in the village loved Dave’s camera and swarmed around him as soon as they saw it. Sometimes there were more than 50 children following him around,
in hope of having a picture taken of them, and then to be shown that picture. “Most had never seen a clear image of themselves, so this was pretty exciting! They pushed and shoved and fought to get in the image,” explained Dave. What a joy Dave felt blessed by the experiences he had during the week in Aveil and Mvolo, and was impressed with the impact Every Village is having.
He reported: “Us MAF pilots love flying these Every Village people around. They're all a bunch of funloving, down-to-earth folks, who just happen to be living sold-out for Jesus!” What a joy to hear about these fantastic people working together in South Sudan, the incredible strength of the people of the world’s youngest country, and the encouraging stories that do take place in such difficult times after Africa's longest-running civil war.
be part of something bigger The best way for us to describe what serving with MAF is like, is to use the phrase: ‘Being Part of Something Bigger’! It's being part of an adventure, hope, transformation and rescue. God is using the mission of MAF to change lives every day. People all around the world are being physically and spiritually transformed in Christ’s name through this work. Find out more about serving with MAF. Go to www.maf.org.au/workwithus
Winter2016 2016 www.maf.org.au 10 Flying for Life Winter
A need met There is a new Cessna Caravan in the Arnhem Land programme and it has opened up many new possibilities. This beautiful machine (at least, we think it's beautiful) has the ability to carry up to 10 passengers or 900 kg of freight. Story and Photos Peter Higham
T
here are countless needs in Arnhem Land just like everywhere else in this giant universe. There are needs for food, water, clothing, jobs, health care, transportation and the list goes on. MAF Arnhem Land is all about providing an aviation and technology service for the betterment of the people in Arnhem Land. Due to factors such as long distances between communities and lack of suitable roads, the need for aviation transport is vital. This physical need has been recognised for a long time and MAF has been able to help meet this need by providing a service for over 43 years in the area. Introducing the Caravan Nearly every day people are calling MAF to arrange flights for a variety of reasons from health to education and family. One recent request was from the NRCC (Northern Regional Council of Congress) asking MAF to help transport a group of eight church people from Elcho Island to Jabiru. This was so that the group could connect with a bus at Jabiru that would take them to the yearly Indigenous Christian gathering at Katherine.
In the past this type of request would usually not be possible, as MAF has only had one type of aircraft available; the seven seater GA8 Airvan. Even though it’s classified as a seven seater and has seven seats, often due to weight and remote airstrip restrictions this has meant passenger and freight numbers have been restricted. It has been a long time in coming but with the recent arrival of the Cessna Caravan to the program, this has brought many new possibilities. The Caravan has the ability to carry up to 10 passengers or 900kg of freight! This meant the request from the NRCC to MAF for the transport of eight passengers from Elcho Island was finally possible! The need could be met. Maiden flight On Saturday the 30th of April (VH-MEP) piloted by Matt Roediger and William Nicol completed its first commercial flight in Arnhem Land. It was flown from Gove to Elcho Island, where eight Yolngu from the Elcho Island NRCC Congregation were picked up. They were then flown to Jabiru, where a bus was waiting to take them to the
convention in Katherine. For MAF, it was a privilege to be able to complete this first commercial flight in the Caravan, which helps support the growth of the local indigenous church. God provides The following Tuesday May 2nd, Pilots Matt Roediger and Michael Beath flew the aircraft back to Jabiru to pick up the passengers and return them to Elcho Island. As MAF continues to work alongside and support Christian organisations such as the NRCC, needs will be met. These needs can be met because of the provision of a skilled team of people (Pilots, Engineers, Ground and Admin staff) not just in Arnhem Land but also throughout the MAFI world. And let's not forget God’s provision of aircraft, such as the new addition to the Arnhem Land program: VHMEP!
The annual Indigenous Christian gathering at Katherine.
Winter 2016 Flying for Life 11
Myanmar
Plans for Myanmar
Everyone deserves a chance at good education, a medical lifeline, and a way out of poverty. Everyone should have the chance to dream big. That is why MAF is planning on opening a program in Myanmar. Story and Photos LuAnne Cadd
“I know the trip is very, very long and difficult and very hard to reach here,” Mimi says. “But if the airplane is here it would be so wonderful and amazing, like a life-savior.”
I
magine for a second that you see your first car at age 17. For Mimi, that was just seven years ago. Imagine that the only way in and out of your village involved walking for days, or possibly riding a motorbike for 9+ hours on a dirt track. Imagine that only eight years ago, if you wanted a mobile phone service in Myanmar, you would have to pay over $2,000 just for the SIM card. Imagine at age 12 seeing your first TV, an event so huge that your entire village comes out to watch. Small improvements Some things have changed radically in the last eight years since the now 24-year-old Mimi Zawtha was a teenager growing up in her village of Lailenpi in the Asian country of Myanmar (formerly called Burma). SIM cards now cost less than $2, although mobile phone service still hasn’t reached her village. Dirt roads have now been cut into the mountainside heading east and west of the village, allowing cars to reach Lailenpi, although the trip is long and brutal, and few people come. For five months of the year when the
12 Flying for Life Winter 2016 www.maf.org.au
monsoon rains dump excessive amounts of water on the country, those steep mountain roads become too dangerous to drive or become blocked entirely by landslides. Still, it’s an improvement on walking for days to get to the nearest town with a road. Mimi’s childhood When Mimi talks about her childhood, she continually uses the word “hard” and “difficult”. “My life was very, very hard,” she recalls. “Early morning, I’d wake up and go to the river to get water – 20 minutes there, 20 minutes back. After that we had our breakfast and ran up to the school. We came back home around 3pm and would have to go to the river to carry the water again. Everyday, everyday. “On Saturday, early morning, we carried the water from the river again, then worked in the field to help our parents. We came back at sunset. The only time we had to study was at night. That’s how I spent my childhood. That changed around age 12.” Pipes now bring water from the river to central points in the village eliminating the long walk to the river, but there is still no water to homes. Poverty remains a problem.
Women carry heavy loads of wood for wood-burning stoves to cook on.
A group of women gather to prepare rice for a celebration for the MAF team and the entire village.
Lailenpi is located in a region called Chin State in Myanmar, the poorest and most difficult to access of all the states. Dreams for the future Mimi is only one of three students in a class of 90 to graduate from grade 10 after passing the country’s examinations. “The first thing is that the parents cannot support their children’s education, so some of them drop at middle school,” Mimi explains. “It’s too expensive. And then some of them come up to class 10 but they cannot pass because they cannot pay tuition.” Currently Mimi is studying for her Bachelor of Science degree at University of Shillong in nearby India with the financial help of an organization called Health and Hope, started by one of her own people, Dr. Sasa. When Mimi graduates, her hope is to return to Lailenpi and teach high school science. “When I went to the town, I saw that most people are educated, but here, people are uneducated. I love my village too much. If God blesses me and I graduate, I want to live in Lailenpi and help my people as much as I can.”
Children smiling together in Myanmar
Challenges in Lailenpi Remoteness tends to generate a host of issues, from lack of medical care to poor education and simply no choices. If you have a medical emergency, you could likely die if it takes days to reach the nearest hospital by road or motorbike. Teachers from cities don’t want to live in a place as remote as Lailenpi with no electricity, running water, phone service, Internet, or television, and no way to get out during the monsoon season. That’s why MAF is planning on opening a program in Myanmar and build airstrips to provide air access to places such as Lailenpi. Everyone deserves a chance at good education, a medical lifeline, and a way out of poverty. Everyone should have the chance to dream big. “I know the trip is very, very long and difficult and very hard to reach here,” Mimi says. “But if the airplane is here it would be so wonderful and amazing, like a life-savior.” The MAF Myanmar programme is currently registered in the country, but we are praying for permissions and funds so we can commence operations soon.
Mimi
Winter 2016 Flying for Life 13
MAF Australia
BOOK LAUNCH
LIBERATOR: THE HARRY HARTWIG STORY
Written by Ron Watts They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.” Isaiah 2:4
Isaiah’s ancient words are brought vividly to life as former bomber pilot Harry Hartwig takes up the challenge of spearheading the bold new Missionary Aviation Fellowship. A true story of love, faith and sacrifice. To purchase a copy for only $10 + $5 shipping (Australia wide only), call 1800 650 169 or email maf@maf.org.au
REGIS TE TO RI R DE!
HIGHLANDS HIGHTAIL 7 – 9 October 2016 www.maf.org.au/rideforfuel 14 Flying for Life Winter 2016 www.maf.org.au
How beautiful Each month, hundreds join us in praying through the most recent prayer points concerning our programs and serving families. We call it "Fuelled by Prayer". The following is the blurb from July's issue. It was written by our new Communications Officer, Christie McDougall. I’ve been really challenged of late to try and help my children understand just how blessed they really are. They are still so little and their immature minds struggle to comprehend a life outside their own safe walls. Then yesterday, as I was flicking through some MAF images from South Sudan my eldest son came and asked what I was doing. I started to talk him through each image and explain as best I could, pointing out things I thought he could comprehend. I talked about their clothes, how they had holes in them and were quite different to his. I talked about how their bellies looked big not because they were full of food, but because they weren’t and about how far they had to walk each day. I was very careful about what information I gave him, quietly praying that God would give me the
right words. After a while he asked me if we could pray for them all, to which I wholeheartedly replied, “Yes of course we can!” Then he started asking about what MAF was, about what the people do and why they do it. That’s when his little face really lit up he got so excited and I just couldn’t give him information fast enough! We talked about things ranging from why the people in the pictures couldn’t just drive places, why they need to fly, why they needed fuel for the plane. He even started trying to memorise some of the information so he could write it in his school journal the next day. He is 7, just. Sometimes I think we can keep information like this to ourselves, thinking it’s too heavy for little hearts, but God repeatedly shows me how I underestimate my mighty worldchangers in training. If I want them to
care about the world when they are older, the best time to teach them is when they are young. It was so encouraging for me and inspired me to start conversations with my other kids, my nieces, my nephews, my friends and anyone else in my world. I hope it inspires you to start some conversations too. “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” - Isaiah 52:7
Communications Officer Christie McDougall
Staff movements To sign up for Fuelled by Prayer and join in praying for our staff and the MAF programs call 1800 650 169 or visit maf.org.au/pray
Ryan and Anna Cuthel
Matt & Rebecca Henderson
Operations Director/Pilot, Kenya
Pilot, Arnhem Land
Flying for Life ISSN: 2202-0365 Design/Editor: Cadence Media (Rich Thompson) Email: info@maf.org.au Printer: BHB Printing Flying for Life is the official magazine of Mission Aviation Fellowship and CRMF in Australia. Articles may be printed with acknowledgment. Flying for Life is a member publication of the Australasian Religious Press Association. If you no longer wish to receive Flying for Life, please advise us at maf@ maf.org.au or 1800 650 169 and your name and details will be removed from our distribution list.
MAF Australia and CRMF ABN 26 134 583 887
PO Box 7187 Baulkham Hills NSW 2153 Phone: 1800 650 169 Email: maf@maf.org.au Website: www.maf.org.au Privacy Statement MAF is committed to your privacy. We will only disclose your information in accordance with our Privacy Statement and/or with your permission. Our Privacy Statement explains what information we collect from you and how we intend to use it. You can view our Privacy Statement at maf.org.au
Front cover: Dave Forney
Winter 2016 Flying for Life 15
Fuel o Father’s Day
For Fathers Day this year, be part of an exciting campaign to raise money to fuel the life-changing work of MAF. We have created a few really fun short videos that you can share with your church or group in the lead up to Father’s Day. These videos celebrate dads as well as explain the difference simply buying a jerrycan of fuel for the dad in their life can make to isolated people. Check out www.maf.org.au/fathersday to find out how you can get involved!
MAF Australia
MAF_Australia
16 Flying for Life Winter 2016 www.maf.org.au
MAFvideosAustralia | www.maf.org.au | maf@maf.org.au | 1800 650 169