Bob Baldwin (Paterson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Science and Personnel) Share this | Hansard source

The opposition joins with the government this afternoon in supporting the motion of condolence for Lieutenant Michael Fussell. Lieutenant Fussell lost his life in Afghanistan on 27 November and we offer our prayers and extend our deepest sympathies to his friends and his family: we know that words will do little to assuage your grief today; we seek only to acknowledge your immense loss and honour the memory of a brave young man whose contribution to this world belies his tender years.

Serving with 4 Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, Lieutenant Fussell—who had just celebrated his 25th birthday—was killed in the middle of the night by an improvised explosive device while leading a foot patrol in southern Oruzgan province. Lieutenant Fussell’s friends and colleagues share his family’s grief today as they attempt to comprehend the loss of a good man and an accomplished officer.

It is clear that the death of this exemplary young man will be felt very deeply throughout every community of which he has been a part—from the battlefields of Afghanistan, where his troops carry on their difficult and dangerous work, to the New South Wales northern tablelands, where he spent his childhood, to here in Canberra, where friends gathered on the weekend to reflect on a life lived to the full, a life given in service and a life cut too short.

Michael matriculated from the Armidale school in the watershed year of 2001, enlisting in the army in 2002. He successfully completed his bachelor’s degree at the University of New South Wales at the Australian Defence Force Academy. Michael went on to graduate from the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 2005, was commissioned into the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery and was posted to ‘A’ Field Battery, 4th Field Regiment. During his time at ‘A’ Field Battery, he qualified as a paratrooper and was deployed to East Timor in 2006 and 2007, leading troops in Operation Astute.

In January this year, Lieutenant Fussell was posted to 4RAR (Commando) as a Joint Offensive Support Team Commander. A decorated officer, Lieutenant Fussell was awarded the Australian Active Service Medal with clasp International Campaign Against Terrorism; the Afghan Campaign Medal; the Australian Service Medal with clasp, Timor-Leste, and the Australian Defence Medal. Staff, colleagues and fellow students were shocked and saddened to hear of his death. They have paid tribute to him, recalling his wry, laconic and very Australian sense of humour, his love and aptitude for the sporting field and his passion and knowledge as a horseman. Those fortunate enough to count him as a friend remember ‘Fuss’ with warmth and admiration. They remember his dedication and commitment, recalling the sacrifices he made in achieving his ambition of serving in this very distinguished unit.

Lieutenant Fussell was the seventh member of the Special Operations Task Force, and the first Australian officer, to lose his life in Afghanistan. He died in the service of others. He died that the people of Afghanistan might have the opportunity to know peace and, above all, he died to ensure the safety and security of all Australians. We will, and must, ensure that he has not died in vain. On days of remembrance, all Australians recall that ‘age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn’. Michael will not be forgotten, just as those who have fallen before him are not forgotten. His bravery and his sacrifice will forever mark both his vital presence and his courageous passing.

Although nothing can console a mother’s grief, we pray that in some small measure Mrs Fussell is comforted tonight in the knowledge that her son lost his life pursuing a vocation to which he dedicated himself without reserve. His name will be recorded, as he is counted now with those who have gone before him—young men who have fallen on the battlefield so very far from the towns and cities in which they grew up. He has taken his place in this country’s history, both in its past and its future.

Herodotus observed that ‘In peace, sons bury their fathers. In war, fathers bury their sons.’ We in this chamber and in these corridors must never forget that in war, young soldiers die. In this simple, enduring truth we are bound in the shared and profound burden of responsibility. We must today mourn with a father as he prepares to bury a son. We mourn also that Michael did not live to enjoy a family of his own. To Michael’s parents, to his sisters, Nikki and Nyah, and to his brother, Daniel, who is also a lieutenant serving in the Australian Defence Force, nothing can replace what you have lost in a son and a brother. Nothing can lessen your grief. Know only that Michael’s loss is felt in some measure by all Australians.

To his friends and colleagues still serving in Afghanistan and elsewhere, we thank you for your service, and we wish you safety and success in your work. We are all working to ensure that you return home soon, safely, to your loved ones. With great depth of sorrow and respect, I simply say: Vale, Fussell.

See this speech in context