Arch Bevis (Brisbane, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Homeland Security) Share this | Hansard source

It is a privilege to join the other speakers, on both sides of this chamber, in saying a few words acknowledging the contribution of the five Australians, especially, whose lives were lost in the Garuda Indonesia airline crash on 7 March. At the end of last week a number of us on both sides of this chamber, at Fairbairn, respectfully witnessed the return to Australia of the five caskets and saw the families and others associated with this terrible tragedy firsthand—for the first time, for many of us, which brought the issue very much to our minds. The lives lost were those of Australian Federal Police agent Mark Scott, Australian Federal Police Commander Brice Steele, Allison Sudradjat, Liz O’Neill and Morgan Mellish. Morgan Mellish was known to many people in this parliament as a journalist. He was a vibrant person and a dedicated professional. Liz O’Neill became known to many of us after the 2002 Bali bombings, with the wonderful work she did there. That has been recognised appropriately and commented on by others here today. Allison Sudradjat was head of AusAID in Indonesia and, as the Minister for Foreign Affairs has pointed out, was one of the most prized and capable people within the organisation. For all these people it is a terrible loss to their families and loved ones and to the nation.

I particularly want to make mention of the two Federal Police officers, Agent Mark Scott and Commander Brice Steele. I think the foreign minister mentioned Brice Steele’s youthful age and senior rank—a sign of his enormous abilities. He joined the AFP as a 19-year-old. He was the youngest person in the intake, and graduated as one of the top of the class. He could already speak two other languages at that time. By the time he was 36 he had been promoted not just to the senior ranks but within the senior ranks. He was one of the senior commanders in the Federal Police, an extraordinarily talented police officer with dedication and a wide range of skills. Having listened to the tributes at his funeral from his family, friends and others, it was also clear that he was an enormously decent person. It was not just that he was a capable individual; he was a caring individual who truthfully and genuinely was concerned for those around him and the world in which he lived. 

When Kellie spoke at that funeral, one could not help but be deeply moved. One of the things that struck me in that presentation was that Kellie took the opportunity—at a time when she could be forgiven for thinking of her own sorrow and loss—to ask us all to pause and think of the others who had suffered on that flight, not just Brice and her and her family. That, I thought, was indicative of a view of life and a spirit that permeates the characters of these people. Even in that darkest moment, their words to us were to consider others who had also suffered.

That spirit was reflected again today at the funeral of Mark Scott, when Mark’s brother made the same comment. Mark also was a Federal Police agent with great ability, having served across the breadth, as has been mentioned, starting as a community police officer here in Canberra, serving overseas in Cyprus and Myanmar and most recently in Indonesia. These are people who dedicated their lives to improving the communities in which they lived. It is a great loss for all of us that they are no longer here.

I also want to add my words of sympathy for Cynthia Banham. Like many in this place, I have had the pleasure of working with Cynthia at different times on projects. It is true that she always exhibited not just a professionalism that no-one could fault but a concern for those people to whom justice and decency have not been applied and a willingness to do what she could to deal with those issues. She is an outstanding journalist. We hope for her that the worst has now passed. I am encouraged by the comments of the foreign minister, who has had the opportunity to meet with her. We certainly wish her a speedy recovery and the opportunity to be back here working at Parliament House.

Finally, I think it is appropriate for the parliament to acknowledge occasions like this. There are tragedies that from time to time in our lives we have to contend with, but this is different. We are talking here about people whose lives have been lost in the service of the nation—and not just in any particular task in the service of our nation. These are people who have been involved in serving our nation and, in doing so, seeking to protect the lives of the rest of us, or seeking to advance our national image and our national presence on the world stage. They are special people who undertake an extraordinarily important role for us, which we tend in our daily lives to take too much for granted. It is thoroughly appropriate that the parliament should pause and acknowledge the contribution of those who have given their service to this nation for the security of others and, in doing so, have lost their lives. I extend my deep sympathy and condolences to their families and loved ones.

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