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Injured Aussie 'Brave, In Good Spirits,' Turnbull Says

Turnbull 'Cheers Up' Australian Woman Injured In Paris Attacks
BUNDESKANZLERAMT, WILLY-BRANDT-STRASSE 1, BERLIN, GERMANY - 2015/11/13: Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in the press conference at the Federal Chancellery. It is the first time of The Prime Minister to visit the Federal Chancellery for the bilateral relations, regional and global issues. (Photo by Simone Kuhlmey/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Pacific Press via Getty Images
BUNDESKANZLERAMT, WILLY-BRANDT-STRASSE 1, BERLIN, GERMANY - 2015/11/13: Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in the press conference at the Federal Chancellery. It is the first time of The Prime Minister to visit the Federal Chancellery for the bilateral relations, regional and global issues. (Photo by Simone Kuhlmey/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has spoken to an Australian teenager injured in the deadly Paris attacks, describing her as brave and in good spirits.

Emma Grace Parkinson, 19, originally from Hobart, was in France working as a language tutor, and was at the Bataclan concert hall when the attacks were carried out that left at least 129 people dead and 352 injured.

Parkinson was was shot in the hip a number of times in the carnage unleashed when terrorists opened fire on those at the hall.

She is currently recovering in hospital and her injuries are not said to be critical. Ms Parkinson is the only confirmed Australian casualty of the Paris attacks.

Speaking on Sunday morning, Turnbull said he had talked to Parkinson via phone.

"Yes, I have spoken with her," Turnbull told reporters in Antalya, Turkey.

"Our ambassador, Stephen Brady, who is in Paris ... was with her at her bedside, in fact, after her surgery I spoke to her.

"I spoke to her on the phone and did my best to cheer her up. I told her that we were all thinking of here, all of us.

"Every parent can sympathise with the thought that their child has been injured in something like this, an incident like this."

Turnbull, visibly emotional, described Parkinson as "a brave girl and in all the circumstances, in good spirits".

"I think Stephen Brady's company and my call, (my) discussion with her cheered her up a bit, but nothing will equal how good she will feel when her mum arrives in a day or so," he said.

Parkinson's aunt Sam Gunner said the 19-year-old was at the Bataclan concert hall when it was attacked, and received a number of gunshot wounds to her hip.

"She's in relatively good spirits," Gunner told reporters in Hobart.

"Emma was taken to the local hospital for treatment where her mum was able to speak to her very briefly on her mobile phone.

"As can be expected, Emma was scared and she was very overwhelmed and she was in desperate need of a hug from her mum. Emma underwent surgery overnight last night."

Gunner said her niece, who had moved to France from Germany just 10 days before the attack, was expected to make a full physical recovery.

"Obviously there is quite a long road ahead for Emma mentally," she added.

Parkinson's mother is expected to arrive in Paris shortly to be with her daughter, Gunner said.

Tasmanian Premier Will Hodgman said he felt sickened by what had happened to the Tasmanian teenager.

"We extend our sympathies and best wishes to all families who have been impacted by these horrendous circumstances," Hodgman said.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten said terrorism would not divide Australia, and wished Parkinson the best for her recovery.

"I'd also like to congratulate the work of the Australian Ambassador and our Foreign Affairs team in Paris who ... are acquitting themselves very well in the support of Australians," he said in Melbourne.

Meanwhile, Turnbull, who is in Europe ahead of the G20 meeting in Turkey, also said there could be role for Australian troops as part of any potential peacekeeping mission in Syria.

"Well, there could be," he said.

"The critical thing is achieving some degree of common purpose between the various parties in Syria. It's a very, very complex part of the world.

"The most effective boots on the ground are going to be Syrian boots on the ground."

He told ABC television there was currently no need to elevate Australia's terror threat level in the wake of the Paris tragedy.

He said he was committed to attending the Paris conference on climate change later this month, despite the deadly attacks.

"If it goes ahead, which I'm sure it will, I will certainly be there, as indeed will other ministers."

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