Luke Simpkins (Cowan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

On Monday, 16 March this year 21-year-old Corporal Mathew Hopkins died in Afghanistan after being shot in a battle with the Taliban in the south of Oruzgan province. It is clear that the loss of his life is a tragedy, as is the loss of all the lives of our soldiers in Afghanistan. While some may question the wisdom of our involvement in that country, the reality is that Australians have always fought and died in defence of other peoples and countries when required. That is a reality and a necessity.

Afghanistan is exactly such an example where the weak must be defended and the extremists must be opposed. Soldiers like Mathew Hopkins understood that in the same way that all our service men and women understand that. The situation is that our soldiers fight extremists who would like to see a different Afghanistan than the one that currently exists and that the people of that country want. The extremists are known to us as the Taliban. The Taliban want Islamic religious law to be strictly applied. The world that the Taliban would like to see is one where males have greater rights than females, where only boys would be allowed to go to school and where, from eight years old, girls have many restrictions imposed on them.

Apart from all their extreme interpretations of their religion, the Taliban also oppose democracy. They are destructive and terrible people that want to rule all of Afghanistan. Our soldiers such as Mathew Hopkins and the soldiers of our allies, just like Mathew Hopkins, are there fighting to protect the ordinary people of Afghanistan who do not want the Taliban to take over that country again. We must always remember that the Taliban need to be fought against because they will not listen, they will not talk and they will not be reasoned with. As we have recently come to know, the Taliban are not happy with just trying to rule Afghanistan, but they have tried to take over part of Pakistan. The Pakistani Army is fighting hard to free the Swat Valley and I wish them every success.

Corporal Mathew Hopkins died shortly after becoming a dad to baby Alex. He left behind his wife, Victoria. As a father myself—a parent, as most of us are—I know that I would gladly lay down my life to protect the lives of my children. Mathew Hopkins gave his life for the children and the future of Afghanistan. He gave his life to oppose the spread of the Islamic religious extremists that threaten the development of the people and the nation of Afghanistan. Afghanistan is an example of where those that cannot defend themselves must be protected. The harsh reality is that Australians have fought and died in Afghanistan for the belief that the world can and must be a better place, that the forces of oppression and domination must be defeated. Australians have done so and continue to do so with a grave acceptance of the fact that some things must be fought for.

It is clear that Mathew Hopkins was proud of being a dad. The photo that we saw of him holding his son, Alex, and wearing his 7RAR Battalion t-shirt is testament to that. We can also be sure that his wider family was proud of the essential work that he did and that he died doing. As a nation we are proud of all our service men and women, who wear our uniform and do the tasks that need to be done both here in Australia and overseas in places like Afghanistan.

In the years ahead it will be hard for Mathew’s wife, Victoria, and his son, Alex, to carry on without him, but I hope that they will take comfort from the good that he did in Afghanistan and the righteousness of the cause he fought for. I hope for that because the future of the children of Afghanistan and the future of their country depend on brave and courageous men like Mathew Hopkins being prepared to fight and lay down their lives for the cause of freedom and democracy. I say this because it is only through freedom and democracy that boys and girls, and men and women, can access the opportunities in their lives that we in Australia enjoy.

The action of the Taliban in trying to take over the Swat Valley in Pakistan is evidence that they have wider ambitions than Afghanistan and is therefore another reason for Australia and our allies to continue to oppose them. Corporal Mathew Hopkins died fighting the Taliban for a just cause, to protect freedom and democracy. I join with my fellow speakers to state my appreciation of his sacrifice and to express my condolences to his wife, Victoria, his son, Alex, and his wider family. Mathew Hopkins was a great Australian who laid down his life for others. Australia will forever be thankful to him.

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