Luke Simpkins (Cowan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I welcome this opportunity to speak on the award of the Victoria Cross to Corporal Cameron Stewart Baird VC, MG. Reading the citation and the story about the air-mobile assault on Ghawchak village in Uruzgan province really does bring home the extraordinary efforts of our soldiers in Afghanistan. Not only is this in many ways a typical, or classical, fight in these sorts of operations, you can visualise the fog of war in it as well—the confusion that reigns and the uncertainty of the circumstances.

When you travel in that part of the world you often see these compounds—pretty much small forts—that dot the region. When intelligence shows that the Taliban are holed up there and they are in prepared positions within that compound, it is a very difficult circumstance—there is no doubt about it. This is clear when you read through the citation and hear exactly what took place: assault going on; one team gets held up; Corporal Baird's team then moves to provide support there; then they come under attack from the flank, to the side, and on and on it goes like this; and then Corporal Baird, as a great commander, a great leader—although a corporal, still a great leader of men—takes command and moves his forces and leads from the front, in the very finest traditions of the Australian Army.

When we look back through history, we see that this country is in many ways defined by what took place at Gallipoli. Indeed, Anzac Day is probably the one day of the year that is closest to being a holy day for us; more so than even Australia Day really is. It is a day when this country was defined. The landings at Gallipoli helped define this country and defined us as a people. Again and again throughout history since then, our soldiers, sailors and airmen have helped redefine the nature of our country—things that we can be exceptionally proud of. Afghanistan was a good cause and people have been greatly helped by our efforts there. The mortality rates for children have been reduced. Access for women and girls to education has been dramatically improved. In many ways, it is a far better country, and that is because of the efforts of our soldiers. Particularly when we have someone like Corporal Baird showing the finest traditions of our country through bravery it is a great Australian story. I pay tribute to and salute Corporal Baird for his efforts. It is such a tragedy it came with the loss of his life but, whether it was the Medal of Gallantry or the Victoria Cross, Corporal Cameron Stewart Baird VC, MG has really defined himself as a great Australian and he will be remembered for ever more.

I would also like to raise an interesting point regarding the date of Corporal Baird's death. The day that they moved into that fight was 22 June. I looked back through my diary to that date—I think it is wise to put these things into perspective—and found that on 22 June I was at events at a couple of local shopping centres. In my view I was doing important things—campaigning for the forthcoming federal election. It really put it into perspective for me: I was at a shopping centre chatting with people and, at that very time, Australian soldiers were out there putting their lives on the line. As I have said in previous speeches when we have lost some of our soldiers in this war, it really does put it in perspective that, whilst we are in places where there is no threat whatsoever, out there in the world Australian soldiers are putting their lives on the line not only for this country but also for a better future for those countries that they are actually fighting in. So it is very easy to salute Corporal Cameron Stewart Baird VC, MG—a great Australian doing great work for the good things in this world. Thank God that we have Australian soldiers who are prepared to do that—that people are prepared to put the uniform on—for that better world. Thank God we have people of such fine character and outstanding courage in this world. Again, I salute Corporal Cameron Baird—a great Australian.

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