Judi Moylan (Pearce, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

During a time when our nation was under attack from the Japanese, Papua New Guinean nationals with their local knowledge came to the assistance of Australian soldiers fighting to protect this country. When Japanese troops landed at the tiny seaside village of Buna on the north-east coast of Papua New Guinea on 21 July 1942, securing Port Moresby was considered the final hurdle for the Japanese before advancing onto Australian soil. Standing in their way was the Australian 39th Militia Battalion in the harsh conditions of the Kokoda Track. Steep ridges plunging to even deeper valleys and mosquito-infested swamps, combined with constant tropical downpours and searing heat and humidity, were just some of the conditions and obstacles faced by the Australian diggers.

In conditions foreign to Australian soldiers, our diggers had the assistance of the PNG nationals, whose local knowledge and bush skills proved invaluable in enabling the diggers to create and maintain a human supply line between the front line deep in the jungle and the base at Port Moresby. Fuzzy wuzzy angels brought food and ammunition in packs usually weighing around 20 kilos or more to the diggers up the track. On their return journey they acted as stretcher-bearers, carrying wounded diggers back to safety. Considering the critical role these PNG nationals played in helping Australia to halt the Japanese advance, it is a disappointment that our nation is yet to formally recognise the significant role of the Koiari people.

In bringing this motion before the House, may I pay tribute to the work of my colleague from that other place, Senator Barnett, who initiated this motion in the Senate to recognize the fuzzy wuzzy angels. Senator Barnett felt compelled to do so after he and a group of 17 trekkers walked the 96-kilometre track during April in honour of the Australian diggers and to raise money for juvenile diabetes research funding. It was during a recent diabetes function celebrating this trek that I was fortunate to be seated alongside Papua New Guinea’s High Commissioner to Australia, Charles W. Lepani. The High Commissioner was deeply touched by the motion.

Fears that such recognition would pave the way for compensation are not a reason to delay recognition of the role the fuzzy wuzzy angels played in assisting the Australian soldiers. Credit should be given where credit is due. To rectify the lack of formal recognition, I join with my colleagues in this place and in the Senate in calling on the Australian government to direct the new Defence Honours and Awards Tribunal to promptly determine the most appropriate form of medal or recognition for the remaining fuzzy wuzzy angels or their surviving families.

Other initiatives also need to be considered in recognition of their contribution over and above the call of duty, including making a small ex gratia payment to each fuzzy wuzzy angel and, where appropriate, funding initiatives to upgrade the health and education status of the Papua New Guinean people in villages along the Kokoda Track. The Kokoda campaign was one of the most significant for Australia during World War II. Our nation needs to recognise all those who played a role in protecting our country.

I deeply appreciate the bipartisan support of my colleagues in this motion and I thank all of them for the contribution that they will make to the debate and, once again, I think it is long overdue that we acknowledge the courage, the endurance, the mateship and the sacrifice demonstrated by Australian Defence personnel during the Kokoda battles, but also, importantly, that we recognise those fuzzy wuzzy angels who made the way just that little bit more bearable in conditions that were truly shocking.

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