australia has a particular responsibility in relation to the search for mh370 on the assumption that we are searching in the australian sea and rescue area the reunion island are french territory. so the responsibility fall primarily investigating this debris rests with the french and of course the malaysians who are the flag carriers of the aircraft. nonetheless, australia has again offered our assistance in this investigation. we have asked the csro and institute of marine research to have a look at the photographs and assess whether the barnacles that are evident in those photographs are consistent with something that was floating in the oceans for 16 months or nor and to give us any other advice