Stuart Robert (Fadden, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Science, Technology and Personnel) Share this | Hansard source

I join the Acting Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the Minister for Defence in honouring Lance Corporal Rick Milosevic, Sapper James Martin and Private Robert Poate from the 3RAR Task Group, who were tragically killed in action—and two of their comrades wounded in action—following an attack at Patrol Base Wahab in the Baluchi Valley on the evening on 29 August. I offer my condolences to Lance Corporal Milosevic's partner, Kelly, and daughters, Sarah and Kate; to Sapper James Martin's mother, Suzanne Thomas, his younger brother and sister, Angus and Holly, and his grandparents Lucille and Ralph Thomas; and to Private Robert Poate's parents, Hugh and Janny, and his sister, Nicola.

That was a dark day for our nation. The moment we learnt of this loss was the moment that as a country we collectively gasped. We mourn the loss of three Australian soldiers killed by someone they trained with and someone they trusted, a member of the Afghan military they came to serve, an ANA soldier they came to fight alongside, to risk their lives for his. These three men were not soldiers of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, which comprises the bulk of the combat force; they were specialist volunteers to bolster the unit and increase its combat power.

Private Poate was from 6 Battalion, the fifth killed in action from this battalion. Lance Corporal Milosevic was from the 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment, Queensland Mounted Infantry, the second killed in action from his regiment. Sapper Martin was from the 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment, the third killed in action from his regiment and the seventh sapper overall to lay down his life. These three brave men, like others with them, joined the ranks of the 3rd Battalion to collectively form the 3RAR Task Group. They stood up when they were needed and they did everything that was asked of them. Theirs, surely, was the way of virtue, theirs the way of service. They came to Afghanistan to give life, to reach out an open palm and to fight for freedom, and they served magnificently. We will remember them.

See this speech in context