Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on indulgence: today the Leader of the Opposition and I attended the Remembrance Day commemoration activities at the Australian War Memorial. I believe it is important for the parliament to reflect on Remembrance Day, this being the 90th anniversary of the Armistice. It is important for the parliament to reflect on the extent of Australian casualties in the First World War—casualties which, as I reflected this morning, are mind numbing in their dimensions. There were 60,000 Australian dead and 150,000 Australians wounded in the First World War. The implications and the impact which that had on families and communities across Australia were profound and continue to be profound.

As we gathered again today, we had the opportunity to meet with the families of some of the more recently fallen. This was a moving occasion for us all. It reminds us afresh of the continuing service of our men and women in uniform. It reminds us afresh of the fact that there is no higher calling in Australia than to wear the uniform of our nation. It reminds us afresh of the fact that we have our troops still in harm’s way in many theatres around the world.

Also on this, the 90th anniversary of the Armistice, it is important for us as a parliament to reflect again publicly on our friends and allies with whom we have fought for the better part of a century in so many theatres around the world—in difficult theatres and in dark days for our nation and, indeed, in dark days for the world. It is, furthermore, important for the parliament to reflect on the significance of the Armistice and its aspirations for the peace of the world. We know from the history of the 20th century that the aspirations for peace following the Armistice of 1918 were not realised, that within a generation the world was again at war. Again, following the Second World War, since 1945, peace has not been the order of the day.

I think that if those whose names we revere and honour as we walk through the corridors of the War Memorial—and see their names inscribed in the Hall of Honour—have one message for us all today it is not simply to remember their sacrifice, which we must do; it is not simply to honour their heroism, which we must do; it is also to hear their voice to us today telling us to be ever vigilant, not just in the defence of the nation but in the prosecution of peace. There is nothing more horrific for any nation, any community or any family than the direct experience of war. Let us resolve afresh as a parliament to maintain the vigilance which they would expect of this generation of Australians, but to be equally vigilant in the prosecution of peace.

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