Diplomats drop holidays to help community

Diplomats drop holidays to help community

Even a long way from Canberra, John McAnulty looks a perfect public servant. He wears a light-grey, long-sleeve shirt and grey twill trousers, his hair is cropped close.

As the tsunami struck the day after Christmas, Mr McAnulty, 53, from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, was heading for the NSW coast and a holiday with his family.

Within hours, he was on his way to Thailand as senior representative of the consular response team. Flying out for Thailand that day were others called from holidays.