Craig Kelly (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise on this motion of condolence to offer the deep sympathy and commiserations of our community to the family of Sergeant Todd Langley. As an experienced soldier, serving seven tours of deployment in East Timor and Afghanistan, Sergeant Langley was a colleague his mates looked up to. They described him as a true leader and as someone who will continue to inspire them as they continue to stand up and perform their work in spite of the grief they feel following the loss of their mate.

For the past seven years, Sergeant Langley was based out of Holsworthy with the 2nd Commando Regiment, formerly 4RAR, who are leading Australia's way in Afghanistan. They are the best of the best, and Sergeant Langley was an inspiration among the team. Beyond their positioning in the military, this famous unit has been and remains something that the people of Hughes have a lot of pride in. We, as the community that hosts the unit and the Holsworthy Barracks, take pride in living among these brave soldiers based at Holsworthy and recognise the contribution they make overseas, on the nation's behalf, and the contribution they make to our community back home. Sergeant Langley was no exception. My thoughts, and those of our community, are with his wife and his family at this most difficult time.

Sergeant Langley was someone who made a difference in life. Both the Minister for Defence and the shadow minister today listed the progress being made in Afghanistan, including polio vaccinations, school construction and economic development. But perhaps the greatest achievement of men like Sergeant Langley is the million Afghan children, especially girls, who are now receiving an education thanks to their efforts.

Sergeant Langley was just 35. He was also a husband and a father to three school-age daughters and an infant son. These children can grow up with the knowledge that their father was a true-life hero; someone who served his nation and someone to whom this nation will always owe a debt of gratitude that we will never, ever be fully able to repay. In saying that, we in this parliament have an ongoing obligation to ensure that his family and his children grow up with all the benefits that our society can afford them. That is our obligation and the debt we owe. Lest we forget.

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