Natasha Griggs (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the Prime Minister's motion to mark 70 years since the end of horrid World War II.

To Australians in the years 1939 to 1945, war was not something that was happening on the other side of the world; it was not a distant abstract prospect. When things were at their worst, there were battles being fought on Australia's doorstep—and in some cases on and over Australian soil.

In the Coral Sea, naval fleets of the Allies and the Japanese Empire massed in what was to be one of the biggest naval battles in history. In New Guinea, Australian soldiers fought against Imperial Japanese forces and ultimately halted their southward advance just a few hundred kilometres from Queensland. And, of course, my hometown, in my electorate of Solomon, came under direct attack.

Much is made in the history books of the Japanese naval attack on United States forces in Pearl Harbor. It is not as widely known that the same aircraft carriers that launched their aircraft against the United States at Pearl Harbor then turned west and steamed to waters just north of Darwin. The very same aircraft and pilots that had attacked the United States fleet base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii also attacked the city of Darwin, its harbour and its military bases.

On 19 February 1942, just before 10 am, 188 aircraft—including fighters, dive bombers and torpedo bombers—arrived over Darwin. They formed the first wave of the attack, sinking three warships, five merchant vessels and damaging another 10 ships. Just before midday the town's air raid sirens blasted again as 50 land-based bombers arrived over the city. These aircraft attacked the airfield, destroying aircraft on the ground and causing further deaths. That day, more bombs were dropped on Darwin than on Pearl Harbor, and around 243 people lost their lives. It was the first time a foreign power had shed blood on Australian soil. Over the years that followed, several other attacks took place in Darwin and Broome.

The Pacific theatre of World War II was in every sense very close to Australia. Australian soldiers, sailors and airmen lost their lives in direct defence of their homeland. Civilians, going about their business on Australian soil, lost their lives to enemy attacks. Seventy years ago, with the enemy at the gates, Australians from all walks of life came together and did what needed to be done to ensure their homeland's safety and security.

The efforts and sacrifice of those men and women seven decades ago has not been forgotten. In my first term in this place I put a motion to the House to recognise the bombing of Darwin in a national day of significance or observance. Many of my colleagues in this place had heard the speeches and had never heard about the bombing of Darwin, because it was a secret for many years. It was not taught in most Australian schools' curriculums. But it is taught in the Northern Territory.

On 19 February every year, Darwin stops to remember those moments 70 years ago. We pay our respects to those who lost their lives and those who were impacted. We stop to remember how these events changed our lives forever. The images of VP Day that marked the end of World War II were images of hundreds and thousands of people dancing in the streets, celebrating together the end of this horrible war; grateful that it was finally over. We have heard that the number of dead was around 60 million. It is an astronomical number; so many people, so many families impacted by the horrors of war. It is important that we remember and commemorate all those people affected by war, especially those who lost their lives.

In Darwin, like in most other capital cities, we have a cenotaph. Our cenotaph might not be as flash as those in other capital cities, and the Darwin RSL and other RSLs are lobbying me and members of the Northern Territory government to work together to build an eternal flame and upgrade our cenotaph to honour the people and families that were affected by World War II and World War I. Over the last few years the ex-service community of Darwin has rallied together to correct some errors and omissions on the plaques attached to the Darwin cenotaph. This was funded by the Anzac Centenary grants. Now every Australian serviceman from the Territory who made the ultimate sacrifice has their name accurately recorded forever in stone.

As I said, the RSL clubs and ex-servicemen's communities are now rallying around a new cause—the establishment of an eternal flame at Darwin's cenotaph. In this endeavour I am absolutely happy and delighted to support them. I wanted to bring these examples to the House's attention today to show that even now—a full lifetime after the bloody and horrific war—the sacrifices made by that generation, far from being forgotten, are still being remembered and being honoured. To this day Australian servicemen put themselves in harm's way so that their loved ones back home do not have to. To all Australians from all eras who have sacrificed a comfortable and safe life for the protection of others I say thank you—thank you, thank you, thank you.

See this speech in context