Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on indulgence, I rise to support the remarks of the Prime Minister. Australia has lost another fine soldier in Sergeant Brett Wood, who is the 24th Australian to be killed in action in Afghanistan. We remember him. We also think of the five others wounded on the same day. What we have is yet another reminder of the risks our soldiers run on our behalf, the tragedy that can befall our country's servants carrying out the decisions of this government and this parliament, and the high price that some people pay for our freedom and for our security. Like the Prime Minister, I reiterate my conviction that this is anything but a pointless death in a pointless war. Our soldiers are there to protect the Afghan people from religiously inspired barbarism, to help the Afghan state and the Afghan Army to ultimately protect themselves, to contribute to the stability of the region, and as far as we can to make the world safe from Islamic terrorism. This is the cause for which Sergeant Wood has given his life. This is the cause which our military are doing their best to uphold in Afghanistan. We salute Sergeant Wood and we extend our condolences to his family and to his comrades.

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