Kelly O'Dwyer (Higgins, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I was very moved by my colleague's speech just now and I would also like to add my words of condolence. Over the weekend we commemorated one of the most historic and terrible events in the modern era. On 11 September 2001 the world lost its innocence when 2,977 men, women and children lost their lives in the single most repugnant terrorist attack in living memory. We all remember, even 10 years on, where we were on that day. I was visiting my parents for a family meal. They went off to bed but I stayed up to speak with my siblings and watch the news with them. I will never forget the horror that I felt when our program was interrupted by live coverage of the second plane plunging into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. I walked into my parents' bedroom, turned on the light and told them the terrible news that terrorists had hijacked two planes, American Airlines flight 11 and United Airlines flight 175, with the direct purpose of killing all those on board along with the people in the buildings that they struck. We learnt later that another plane, American Airlines flight 77, was deliberately flown into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and a fourth plane—United Airlines flight 93—was heading for Washington DC before it crashed in a field in Pennsylvania due to the heroism of those who tried to wrest back control from the hijackers on the plane on that day.

It was a calculated and cowardly attack. We remember all those who lost their lives and we mourn for all of them. As the member for Higgins, it is my very solemn duty here today to remember one person in particular, a constituent of mine in Higgins, one of the 10 Australians who perished on that dark day. Leanne Whiteside, a lawyer from Prahran, died in the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Leanne committed no crime. She was not a member of any armed forces. She was simply at her place of work. She was 31. There can be no justification, no rationale, for the events of that day, because no god, no matter what faith, would condone the kind of cold-blooded murder that occurred.

These thousands of murders were conceived of and carried out by the militant terrorist group al-Qaeda, pursuing an agenda of hate, fear and ignorance. In response to that terrible, terrible day, President George Bush in his address to the nation said:

A great people has been moved to defend a great nation. Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve. America was targeted for attack because we're the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining. Today, our nation saw evil, the very worst of human nature. And we responded with the best of America—with the daring of our rescue workers, with the caring for strangers and neighbors who came to give blood and help in any way they could.

As we remember this terrible day in the world's history, we stand side by side with our American brothers and sisters. We take comfort and support from the close bonds that our two nations take so much pride in. The relationship between Australia and the United States is so much deeper than a signature on a treaty; it is a relationship based on a deep and entrenched understanding and united belief in our common humanity and dignity and in the freedoms that we hold so dear. It is a relationship based on common values, culture and principles—defending freedom, repudiating fear and ignorance.

Former Prime Minister John Howard was there on that day and the day that followed. He said it best when he said:

… terrorists oppose nations such as the United States and Australia not because of what we have done but because of who we are and because of the values that we hold in common …

On Sunday I attended the 9-11 memorial service with the US Consul General in Melbourne, Frank Urbancic; Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu; Lord Mayor Robert Doyle; my good friend and colleague Josh Frydenberg; and a number of other community leaders from many denominations and faiths. It was an opportunity to reflect on all those who have lost their lives in this shocking act of violence and on those who have lost their lives defending democracy and freedom. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and with those—police, ambulance and firefighters—who were first on the scene and came to their aid. Our thoughts and prayers are also with the soldiers and their families who have lost so much in the fight to defend freedom and democracy. We think, too, of the political leaders and community leaders who needed so much courage on that day and on the days that followed.

Make no mistake—there are those in this world who oppose and resent our way of life. They have a core view that they would destroy our way of life, the values that we hold dear and all that we believe in. We can take solace in the knowledge that these people represent the fringe elements of our society and do not represent the masses. However, we must never be complacent in our resolve to eradicate from the world the hate and violence that these people represent. Now more than ever we must continue our struggle to espouse the values of democracy and freedom. We will never forget the heroism of the people who came to the aid of those who were struck on that day, we will never forget those who lost their lives, and we will never forget those who are currently fighting in other lands to defend our freedom and democracy. We will never forget.

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