Warren Snowdon (Lingiari, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence Science and Personnel) Share this | Hansard source

I want to thank the previous speaker for her contribution and for outlining the heroism and great gallantry of Corporal Daniel Keighran, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia on 1 November this year. I am honoured to say that I was present—it was a great privilege—when he was at the investiture for his VC. We know that he was awarded this distinguished, highest of military honours by demonstrating the most conspicuous gallantry and extreme devotion to duty in 2010 at Derapet in Uruzgan province in Afghanistan. His was an act which demonstrated again the commitment of our men and women deployed overseas as well as here at home.

Corporal Keighran grew up in Nambour in Queensland and enlisted in the Army in December 2000. He completed his initial training at the School of Infantry. He was based in 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, based at Enoggera Barracks in Brisbane. During his military career, Corporal Keighran was deployed to Malaysia, East Timor, Iraq and, most recently, Afghanistan. That was the deployment for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.

He is the 99th Australian to be rewarded the Victoria Cross. It should be noted, importantly, that he is distinguished by the fact that he is the first member of the Royal Australian Regiment to receive this magnificent honour. A member of Delta Company from the 6th Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment, Corporal Keighran has continued the proud and distinguished history of those men. Delta Company is most famously remembered for fighting in the Battle of Long Tan during the Vietnam War, so it has a proud record. Having visited Afghanistan on several occasions I, like others, have witnessed the bravery, sacrifice and professionalism that our young sailors, soldiers and air men and women demonstrate on a daily basis. Like many other battalions deployed in Afghanistan the 6th Battalion suffered several casualties, sadly some fatal, during 2010. Despite this they endured and they achieved for us. They demonstrated numerous acts of bravery and enormous devotion to duty.

On 24 August 2010 the valour demonstrated by Corporal Daniel Keighran was so courageous, bold and selfless that his actions earned him Australia's highest military honour. As we know from other contributions on that day Corporal Keighran and his patrol came under fire from a numerically superior enemy in Derapet. Under intense fire, the combined Australian and Afghan patrol was forced into a defensive position causing a loss of momentum and initiative. Corporal Keighran acted decisively and deliberately by repeatedly exposing himself to heavy enemy fire. His actions enabled the remainder of his patrol to regain the tactical initiative and coordinate their collective firepower to force the enemy from the battlefield.

The success of this engagement can be attributed directly to the bravery of Corporal Keighran. A typically humble Australian, a humble country lad, Corporal Keighran chose not to burden his wife, Kathryn, with the story of his actions until the weeks preceding his investiture at Government House. I was talking to the Chief of Army, Lieutenant-General Morrison, who retold his trip to Kalgoorlie when he went there to inform Corporal Keighran that his award had been approved by the Queen. That was when he was forced to tell his wife the story. Explaining this, Daniel said: 'It wasn't that I couldn't talk about it, it's just that what happened over there is for me and for the boys. But she knows now and she wasn't too impressed at first.' Can you imagine why? Aren't those words telling? That demonstrates very clearly one of the key attributes of Australian fighting men and women. They see themselves as part of a team, part of a group, where individuals are not singled out in the way in which we do appropriately single out such brave men and women. Clearly, at that point at least, he did not want to be seen to be doing something different or enormous; he was doing his job with his mates.

This story is not without sorrow because on this dreadful day Lance Corporal Jared MacKinney lost his life in that same battle. I well recall the previous motions of condolence made in reference to the death of Lance Corporal MacKinney in 2010. His death deeply affected and will continue to affect his family, his mates in the Defence Force, the Defence Force generally and the wider community. As his citation describes, Corporal Keighran's bravery significantly contributed to the medical evacuation of his mate Jared to Tarin Kot. From his citation:

Corporal Keighran remained exposed and under heavy fire while traversing the ridgeline, in order to direct suppressing fire and then assist in the clearance of the landing zone to enable the evacuation of the casualty.

The young gentleman here is a man who has been to war. As I have said before in this place, it is relatively easy for us in the serenity of these surrounds to talk about war. The fact is we have not experienced it. To understand precisely what confronted Corporal Keighran in those moments can only be for those who have had that experience. We wonder at their valour, we wonder at their selflessness and we wonder at their bravery and their commitment to one another. As with generations past, the current generation of men and women in the Defence Force are members of an extremely honourable profession. They deserve our adulation for the work they do for us. They serve their nation with distinction and forever place duty ahead of their own personal safety. That is amplified magnificently by the heroism of Corporal Keighran. It is because we have such men and women like Corporal Keighran, prepared to sacrifice so much of themselves, that Australians enjoy the freedoms we have.

It is an unofficial but moving tribute to the importance of the Victoria Cross that all members of the Defence Force salute a Victoria Cross winner, from the Chief of the Defence Force right through to the ranks. Perhaps the most telling moment of the investiture was when the Chief of the Defence Force fronted up to Corporal Keighran; Corporal Keighran stood and the Chief of the Defence Force saluted him. A very moving occasion. I work closely with the Defence Force, and I know the value they place on a salute. To see our foremost military officer, the CDF, offer a salute to a corporal, is a remarkable and moving moment. This mark of respect recognises the extreme courage and valour of those few men who have demonstrated their bravery under the most telling of circumstances and been awarded a Victoria Cross.

It is really difficult for us who have not been there to understand the circumstances that may have confronted this brave man on that day. I see a weapon and I shake. To have one pointed at me and to have a group of people firing at me, to be under heavy fire—I am not sure what I would do. But this man, trained as he was, a competent, confident professional, was able to achieve something magnificent.

Today, on behalf of a grateful nation, I am pleased to join the members of the Australian Defence Force in saluting Australia's latest Victoria Cross winner, Corporal Daniel Keighran.

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