THE MH17 TRAGEDY - AUSTRALIA'S RESPONSE SO FAR:
* Prime Minister Tony Abbott has held a round of calls with world leaders, including US President Barack Obama, British Prime Minister David Cameron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. He has also spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin, seeking Moscow's co-operation with any international investigation.
* Foreign Minister Julie Bishop dispatched to New York where she successfully lobbied for a unanimous UN Security Council resolution demanding Russian-backed rebels grant access to the site.
* Air Chief Marshal (retired) Angus Houston has been appointed prime minister's special envoy to lead the recovery and repatriation of Australian victims, and co-ordinate diplomatic, disaster and crash site investigation efforts. He will meet a refrigerated train carrying the remains of Australian and other victims in Kharkiv on Wednesday.
* 45 Australian officials deployed: 20 from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; 20 Australian Federal Police officers; two transport safety investigators; three defence officials.
* An Australian C-17 Globemaster plane will help transport bodies from Ukraine to The Netherlands for identification.
* Australian forensic and disaster victim identification specialists are on stand-by in The Netherlands to start identifying bodies.
* The government is seeking advice on whether it can designate the disaster an act of terrorism, therefore allowing the families of victims to access federal compensation.
* Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove, Prime Minister Tony Abbott, cabinet ministers, ambassadors and other officials have signed a condolence book at Parliament House in Canberra. Similar books will be available in Australian embassies and consulates for the public to sign. Copies will be sent to families of victims.
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