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DFAT starts tweeting

Australia's foreign affairs department has finally joined the Twitter age.

Australia's foreign affairs department has finally joined the Twitter age.

The tech-savvy can now follow the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's tweets under the account name @dfat.

Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd - a long-time Twitter user with almost a million followers - welcomed the move.

"The earthquake and tsunami in Japan is a perfect example of how important it is to get vital information to the public fast," Mr Rudd said.

"By following @dfat, Australians can ensure they get the latest information on travel advisories, breaking news and of course, Australia's foreign and trade policies."

The department has been criticised for taking so long to start tweeting.

Foreign offices in Canada, the US and UK have embraced social media much more enthusiastically.

DFAT's use of social media is one of the things currently coming under the scrutiny of a parliamentary inquiry.

DFAT tweeted three times in its first hour.

Join the CIO Australia group on LinkedIn. The group is open to CIOs, IT Directors, COOs, CTOs and senior IT managers.

More about: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

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