Eric Hutchinson (Lyons, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

That was indeed a moving contribution by the member for Cunningham. I rise to speak on this motion on behalf of the people of my electorate of Lyons. We all watched in disbelief when flight MH17 was shot from the skies over the Ukraine in July. Many of us could find no words to explain why.

As we well know, MH17 had 283 passengers and 15 crew on board, who all died in the crash. Tragically for Malaysian Airlines, this followed the disappearance of flight MH370 on 8 March, en route from Beijing to Kuala Lumpur. The lives of 38 Australian citizens and residents were lost in the downing of MH17 over Ukraine. I know the names of those people who died, but I knew no-one. I knew no-one on at flight. I have no connections to those people on that flight. But, as Australians and as citizens of the planet that we are on, it was truly terrifying to see what humans are capable of doing to other humans. In some respects it is quite depressing that it took a tragedy like this to bring our nation so clearly together. I pay tribute on behalf of my electorate for the needless loss of life and indeed the anger, and acknowledge the anger that was felt by many Australians. I want to personally thank my Prime Minister on behalf of many people in my electorate who also felt that anger but who saw, clearly, in the way that our Prime Minister responded, the anger that he was feeling on behalf of the people of Australia and no doubt personally.

I wonder what those who fired the missile that brought down this plane feel. I wonder if they sleep at night. I wonder if they can imagine and feel the anguish of the families who lost loved ones. I wonder whether the leaders in Russia ever lose sleep or whether they pause to contemplate the tragic consequences of their actions.

I was unable to attend the memorial service held in Melbourne on behalf of those who lost their lives. I trust and I pray that this provides some comfort to the families of those who did lose mothers, fathers, sons and daughters and grandchildren. They must know that we as Australians are grieving with them. We cannot imagine the pain, we cannot imagine the suffering, we cannot imagine your sense of loss, but rest assured that we are grieving with you. As to the question why, indeed Australia is used to natural disasters. We see them every year, be they floods or bushfires. Natural disasters can be explained. We do recover. Nature has a way of recovering. But I think it is the emptiness that is left after such a tragedy that asks us the question, why?

I think it is very appropriate, and I commend again the initiative, to have a memorial placed in Australia's Parliament House to remember those people whose lives were tragically cut short. We move on, but many of those families will never be able to recover. But we must—as individuals, as communities, as a nation—look to the future in a positive way. Again, on behalf of the people of my electorate and personally, I want to thank the Prime Minister. I want to thank the foreign minister. I want to thank the departmental staff. I want to thank the experts who have helped in the identification of bodies. I want to thank the public servants who clearly have gone above and beyond. I want to thank Air Chief Marshal Houston. I want to thank the Governor-General, Sir Peter Cosgrove. I want in time to come to thank the counsellors who will support the families as they struggle to understand the tragedy. I want to thank the family members who will come together and remember those they lost. I want to thank the friends of those families who will support them when that is needed. And I trust that those responsible will one day be brought to justice swiftly. Thank you.

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