Warren Snowdon (Lingiari, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence Science and Personnel) Share this | Hansard source

This condolence motion is very important for all of us. When a nation sends its young men and women overseas to help bring peace to the world, it does so with deep anxiety. When we do, we know that we are putting people at serious risk. But we also know that, as citizens of the world committed to achieving peace, we have to do what we can. This has been the course of Australian history since prior to the First World War. We have accepted our obligations as world citizens and we have not flinched at accepting our responsibilities. So, when someone like Sean McCarthy has his life taken, we grieve. We grieve because we asked him to put his life at risk. This, of course, is the tragedy of war and it is an enormous cost. It is why Australians for over 100 years now have paid their respects to the many thousands of young Australians who have also had their lives taken in the service of their nation.

Sean McCarthy has now joined those hallowed ranks, along with his comrades who have also fallen in Afghanistan: Lance Corporal Jason Marks, Sergeant Matthew Locke, Trooper David Pearce, Commando Luke Worsley and Sergeant Andrew Russell. We know, as others have said, that Sean was a career soldier with seven years of service. He was still young—25 years of age—with his whole life before him. Yet he enlisted to serve and did so with total commitment. After recruit training, he was posted to the 7th Signal Regiment and then in January 2010 to the Special Air Service Regiment—based in your home state, Mr Deputy Speaker Washer. After service in Timor-Leste, Sean was deployed to Afghanistan with the Special Operations Task Group. Here the responsibilities were to support the Australian Reconstruction Task Force, to help develop the Afghanistan security forces and to help reinforce the legitimacy of the Afghan government. These are huge responsibilities, undertaken, as we now know, in the most difficult of circumstances. But, as we expect of Australian service men and women when they depart our shores on these tasks, they are undertaken with total commitment and courage. Along with his mates, this was Sean McCarthy’s task on our behalf. He lost his life doing what we asked him to do. As we all know now, he did it so very well.

In addition to his service medals, in 2007 Sean received the Special Operations Command Australia commendation. This was awarded for his excellent application of battle craft in a complex, dangerous and confusing situation. This is testament to his skills as a soldier, to the excellence of his training and, most importantly, to his personal character, as shown by his unwavering commitment. As a nation, we mourn the loss of Signaller Sean McCarthy and I want to extend my condolences to his family. There can be nothing worse in life than losing a loved one, and we as a nation remain in the family’s debt.

I do want to make some closing remarks as a parent and as someone who has children under the age of 22. I know I share this with my colleague the minister and others in this place. The responsibilities I have as Minister for Defence Science and Personnel mean that I get to meet some fine young Australians who, at the early age of 17 or 18, are putting on the uniform of one of the services and committing themselves to the task of defending Australia’s interests. Frankly, I do not think that the nation understands that commitment well enough.

We owe these Australians—all of these people in uniform—a great deal more than we give them. I am finding it hard to choose the word which will aptly describe what it is that we must do. It is not just gratitude, because they are making a sacrifice. As the Prime Minister said, there is no greater honour than to wear that uniform. Sean McCarthy has done that for us. As we know, and as parents of previous generations know only too well, there can be nothing sadder for a parent than to have their son or daughter die before them. In this case, it was a young person who had made a commitment on behalf of this nation—bravely, courageously, with dedication and with great honour. I say again: my condolences to his family, his friends and, most of all, his comrades—his mates—with whom he fought.

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