Bob Baldwin (Paterson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Tourism) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak on the condolence motion for Private Bewes, Trooper Brown, Private Dale, Private Kirby and Lance Corporal MacKinney. It was on 24 June when I last stood in this committee room under similar, joyless circumstances and recounted the lives and tragic deaths of Private Timothy James Alpin, Private Benjamin Adam Chuck and Private Scott Travis Palmer. It was only two days prior to that, on 22 June, that I stood here and spoke on the condolence motion for Sapper Moerland and Sapper Smith.

I remember standing here and thinking that, indeed, it had been a very dark fortnight for our Australian Defence Force, who had lost five of their own in very quick time. Let us not forget the grief-bound families who must still be coming to terms with the very personal loss of their loved ones. Today all here in this place again pause to remember those that have given their lives for their country. I am sure that those here today will agree that, while a lot has happened since I was last standing here, the one thing that remains unchanged, unmoveable and unrepenting is our collective support for our troops and our collective sadness in remembering those we have recently lost.

Since the parliament was prorogued only a few months ago Australia has continued to suffer casualties in Afghanistan. In fact, in two short months Australia lost five fine soldiers who gave their all in the name of their country. They were doing only what their government had asked of them and it is therefore entirely appropriate that we take their measure of sacrifice and reflect on that here today.

I now wish to briefly recount the lives of each of the five fallen soldiers as well as some of the moving tributes paid to each of them by those who knew them best. I believe it is important to have those very moving sentiments read into the Hansard so that they remain on record in this parliament for ever and a day.

Private Nathan Bewes was from the Brisbane based 6th Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment and was serving with the First Mentoring Task Force in Afghanistan when he was killed by an improvised explosive device on 9 July 2010. It was Private Bewes’s second appointment to Afghanistan, having already been deployed to East Timor once previously, and he knew the dangers of undertaking a dismounted patrol in the Chora Valley region of Uruzgan Province more than anyone.

I am reminded of Thucydides, the Ancient Greek historian and author who said:

The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.

In fact, 7 Brigade Commander Brigadier Paul McLachlan said of Private Bewes:

He held the welfare and safety of his mates more dearly than he held his own life and he revelled in this responsibility.

In a society that has a tendency to overuse the concept of a hero, here is an example to us all. A knock about bloke, who day in and day out, clearly understanding the consequences, chose to put his life on the line to do his job and protect his mates.

Private Bewes was born in Kogarah, New South Wales, and joined the Army in 2005. He was posted to 6RAR after completing his recruit and infantry basic training the same year. He was only 23 when he was killed.

Private Bewes was awarded the Australian Active Service Medal with clasp International Coalition Against Terrorism, the Australian Service Medal with clasp Timor-Leste, the Australian Defence Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, NATO medal with clasp ISAF and the East Timor Solidarity Medal. Private Bewes was also awarded the Infantry Combat Badge, and for previous deployments the Returned Active Service Badge.

Private Bewes is survived by his parents, Gary and Kay; his sister, Stephanie; and his partner, Ms Alice Walsh, who released a statement about Nate that I would like to read:

Nate was my best friend, my soul mate, the one I knew I’d be with for the rest of my life. He was an amazing mate to our many friends and was loved by everyone. He always made me laugh and I have never loved anyone so much.

He was an excellent soldier who was willing to put his life in danger along with his mates from Team 3 for the people of Australia. I will miss my Bewesy for the rest of my life.

While your loved one comes home to you every day there are others who are worrying if there will be another day. Soldier’s families be proud, as they are out changing the world, making history and putting their lives on the line for Australia.

Take one minute out of your day to pray or wish upon a star for a soldier so that they may all come back home safely one day to his or her family.

I love you and miss you Nate.

Private Nathan Bewes was truly an Australian soldier, dedicated to upholding the values of the Australian Defence Force, but, more than that, he was committed to the very end to looking out for his mates.

Trooper Jason Brown from the Perth base Special Air Service Regiment was serving with the Special Operations Task Group in Afghanistan when he was sadly killed by insurgent gunfire on the morning of 14 August 2010. Trooper Brown was born in Sydney in 1981and joined the Army on 13 June 2000. In 2004 he joined the 4th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (Commando) and on successful completion of the 2007 selection course Trooper Brown became a member of the Special Air Service Regiment. This was Trooper Brown’s first tour of Afghanistan but he had considerable experience on the ground, having been deployed to East Timor on three previous occasions as part of Operation Tanager, Operation Citadel and Operation Astute. His colleagues spoke of an outstanding career soldier who was dedicated to his job and always went the extra mile for his mates. They spoke of a professional and committed soldier and one that will be sorely missed by his closest friends, as well as the entire ADF family.

Trooper Brown has been award the Australian Active Service Medal with clasp ICAT, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Australian Service Medal with clasp Timor-Leste, the United Nations Medal with ribbon UNTAET, the NATO ISAF Medal, the Australian Defence Medal, the Infantry Combat Badge. Trooper Brown has also been awarded the Return from Active Service Badge for an earlier deployment.

Trooper Brown is survived by his parents, Graham and Ann, along with his sister, Stephanie. In a statement they released, the family said:

Today we were advised of the tragic death of our son, brother and mate while he was serving in Afghanistan.

Jason was a career soldier who dreamed from a young age of being nothing else. Everyone who knew him knew his dream. He strived to be the best he could be at his job and was successfully accepted into the elite Special Air Service Regiment.

He was born to be a soldier, and believed in what he was doing. He died doing what he loved. We are all very proud of him.

We will miss him dearly, as will his army mates, who were his second family.

We ask at this time you respect our privacy and allow us our space to grieve the loss of an exceptional soldier, mate, brother, son and most of all Australian. 

In a subsequent statement his family also thanked friends, the ADF and the local community for the:

… wonderful and overwhelming support, care and compassion we have received during this most difficult time following the death of our dear son and brother, Trooper Jason Thomas Brown.

…            …            …

The army was his life and his second family. He died serving the country he loved so well and his advice to his military mates would be to stay focused and stay strong.

This sentiment was echoed by the Commander Joint Task 633, Major General John Cantwell, who said that Trooper Brown will be remembered by his mates in both the Special Air Service Regiment and 2nd Commando Regiment as a professional soldier who strived to excel in everything he did. He said:

It was a warrior’s send-off by our nation’s finest warriors—something I’m sure Jason would have been extremely humbled by, but something he truly earned with his dedicated and selfless service.

Trooper Brown will be sorely missed by his family, his mates and his brothers-in-arms, who I know will be doing all they can to help Trooper Brown’s family cope with this immense loss of their son and brother.

I am sure the deaths of Sapper Moerland and Sapper Smith are all too fresh in our memories, not least of all because their deaths represented the first time Australia had suffered multiple casualties during one operational incident since the Vietnam War. Unfortunately, on 20 August 2010, Australia again lost two soldiers—two exceptional soldiers—during one operational incident. Once again, the culprit was the insidious and indiscriminate improvised explosive device. The incident occurred at approximately 10.30 am on 20 August 2010 during a joint counter-IED operation that Australian troops were conducting with the Afghan National Army personnel near a position in the Baluchi Valley. The two soldiers killed were Private Tomas Dale and Private Grant Kirby, and their loss so soon after the loss of Trooper Brown serves as a very real reminder of the dangers that our troops face on the ground every day in Afghanistan.

Truly the dangers cannot be underestimated, nor the bravery and dedication of the Australian soldiers doubted. Private Tomas Dale, who was 21, and Private Grant Kirby, who was 35, were from the Brisbane based 6th Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment—the very same regiment that bore the loss of Private Nathan Bewes only a few weeks prior. Although Private Dale and Private Kirby were separated by a few years in age, they were described as being truly brothers-in-arms. Commander of the Joint Task Force 633, Major General John Cantwell, spoke of the two soldiers who had naturally fallen into the role of youngest and oldest brothers in their sections. He also spoke of the hardship experienced by their mates at having to deal with the loss of two comrades. He said:

Losing anyone is hard, but losing two people close enough to be considered as brothers, in every sense of that word, is especially difficult and it will be a real test for those who need to continue with this fight in their honour.

It is a testament to their unwavering commitment to one another that Private Dale and Private Kirby’s section mates were transported in from their outlying patrol base to attend the ramp ceremony in Afghanistan and bid a final farewell to their mates.

Private Dale’s life and service, his courage and, ultimately, his selfless sacrifice will be forever remembered by his parents, David and Karen, along with his brothers, Sam and Joe. Of their beloved son and brother, they said:

Tomas loved the Army and it was all he wanted to do from an early age. He knew the risks from going overseas but he was willing to take that risk for the cause he believed in. 

Tomas loved his family, brothers and girlfriend and we all loved him very much and are very proud of him.

Tomas was a great bloke and will never be forgotten. His brothers Sam and Joe will greatly miss him.

Tomas would want his colleagues to keep fighting the cause and hope they come home safely. His mates meant everything to him.

At Private Dale’s funeral service, it was perhaps his father, David, who best reflected the terrible sense of loss that the family felt. In but a few short words he said:

The thought of spending the rest of our lives without you is scary, you were our world …

Private Kirby will also be sorely missed and his absence will be forever felt by his family. In a statement they put out soon after the news of his death, Private Kirby’s family said:

Grant was part of a close and loving family, father Gary and mum Dianne, brothers Shaun and Luke, sister Lauren, and former wife Edwina and their two daughters Isabella … and Madeleine …

“While Grant and I were no longer married, he was very much a part of our family,” said Edwina, “he was a dedicated father and my very close friend.”

“Grant was always there for our girls and was totally involved in their sports and school events when he was not deployed.” 

Edwina said Grant was an incredibly honourable person who had an immense amount of pride in his job serving the country.

Grant’s father Gary said that his son had always been keen to be in the Army. 

“In fact after suffering shin splints in his first attempt to join, he stuck with it and successfully tried again.”

“He was very passionate about health and fitness and kept himself in very good shape,” Gary said.

“Grant was one of the boys,” said his sister Lauren, “and being older was often called ‘Dad’ by the boys in his unit.

“He was a role model at times and often a mentor to them.”

Gary said the family was incredibly proud of Grant and it will take time to come to terms with his loss.

These sentiments were echoed in a statement released by Miss Joanne Matthews and the extended family of Private Kirby, which said:

Grant was also part of another family with me, his mother, Joanne and my former husband, Gavin Matthews and his other brother George and wife, Belinda and son Nate and other sister Avy. We are all brokenhearted and we find his death difficult to accept or understand. On their behalf and on behalf of the extended families we wish to say that we are so very proud of the way Grant carried out his responsibilities in life and the way he died serving his country. We send our condolences to Grant’s former wife, Edwina and their beautiful girls Bella and Mattie. We also wish to express our deepest sympathy for the family and friends of Private Thomas Dale and other members of the unit.

At Private Kirby’s funeral service his family spoke of a man that will be sorely missed. His sister spoke of an eternal optimist, no matter what the situation, and said that he was the biggest, best brother in the world. Ten-year old Isabella spoke of the love for her daddy while his brother Sean read a moving poem describing how much he will be missed.

It will of course take time for the family, Private Kirby’s section and Private Dale’s section to come to terms with the loss of their brothers-in-arms. Although I am sure they have gotten on with the job at hand, the loss of two fine soldiers and mates from within such an obviously close-knit section will take its toll. However, I am confident that those mates will be the first to lend their support to the families of Private Dale and Private Kirby and will ensure that their service was not in vain and their sacrifice is never forgotten.

A little over one month ago, on 24 August, another Australian soldier was killed in Afghanistan. Lance Corporal Jared MacKinney was conducting a dismounted patrol in the green zone when he and his section were fired upon by insurgents. Lance Corporal MacKinney was moved out of danger by his mates and was provided with first aid but tragically succumbed to his wounds. Lance Corporal MacKinney is the latest Australian soldier to be killed in Afghanistan and his death takes the total number of Australian casualties in Afghanistan to 21. The Chief of Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Houston, recently noted:

The last couple of months have been a particularly trying time for members of the mentoring task force, particularly as Lance Corporal MacKinney’s death came while other soldiers were still coming to terms with the loss of Trooper Jason Brown, Private Thomas Dale and Private Grant Kirby.

Lance Corporal MacKinney was also from the Brisbane based 6th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment and the fourth member of that rotation 6RAR to have been killed in Afghanistan in just a few short weeks. Lance Corporal MacKinney was a popular soldier in the 6th Battalion and had recently taken on extra responsibility within the section following his promotion to the rank of lance corporal. ‘Crash’, as he was known by his mates, was regarded as a soldier’s soldier, a consummate professional and someone willing to do anything for his mates. At home he was a loving husband to wife Becky and a loving father to their daughter, Annabel. In a statement released by Becky, she said :

The long journey without Jared has begun for Annabel and me and will soon begin for little Noah Jared, who is due to come into the world in a fortnight. Noah will never get to meet his father but he will come to know him for the incredible man he was through our love and memories. So many people have helped our family through the dark times of the last few days, people we know and also so many people we have never met, who all wanted to help ease our pain. On behalf of the family I would like to very sincerely thank them for their best wishes and generous support. I would like you to know that it has made a very real difference. In the next few weeks I hope I can personally thank as many of you as I can. To Jared’s mates in Afghanistan and back home: we were all very proud of Jared and the work he loved doing. I want to thank you for your caring and incredible messages of support. I know Jared would want me to tell you that we are all very proud of you and fully support you in the job that you are doing for all of us. I would also like to express my appreciation to the media for the very sensitive manner in which they have covered the tragic events over the past few weeks and also their ongoing respect for our privacy. We have reached the deepest depths of despair since we were told of Jared’s death and we are also being helped and comforted by the support and extraordinary generosity of the spirit of old friends, new friends and strangers who care.

In a heartbreaking twist of fate, little Noah Jared MacKinney was born two weeks early and only hours after his father’s funeral. Although Noah will never get to meet his father, in time he will get to learn about him from those closest to him. From his unwavering love for his family to his courage and devotion to his mates, Little Noah will forever embody the spirit of his father and forever keep his memory alive.

I conclude by saying that this nation has a very heavy heart when one of its sons is killed in combat, but losing five in such a short period of time only compounds the feeling of sorrow. I would only say to those families who have lost their sons, their husbands, their brothers, their fathers or their mates to remember them as the heroes they are. Keep a place within your hearts to forever remember them for all that they did for the country they loved so dearly. Hopefully, in time the knowledge of their sacrifice and courage will bring some small peace.

I visited Afghanistan in April and I may have met some of these people when I was there—I had met Sapper Smith. I say to those families that these men are making a real difference. That is what I told them at the funeral because that is what I truly believe. That is what our men and women on the ground in Afghanistan understand and believe. They are making a real difference in the lives of Afghanis. They are making a real difference in halting terrorism, addressing it at its very access where it begins and to think otherwise would be to disrespect their lives and their contributions. Australian soldiers, whether male or female, when they pull on that uniform and wear that flag patch on their shoulder all grow to over 10 feet tall. They are courageous, they are dedicated, they are locked into supporting their mates no matter what and they never leave their mates behind. The mates of those five diggers will never leave behind their memories or their families as they respect their contribution to this nation for the freedoms that we would all want and encourage for those in Afghanistan. (Time expired)

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