Philip Ruddock (Berowra, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is a great privilege to be able to speak in relation to this statement. I do so perhaps differently to some of my colleagues but with the same purpose: to commemorate those people who fought for Australia and others who fought in the Pacific for freedom as we understand it. It was only recently that I attended a ceremony at Berowra, in my electorate, where I had the opportunity to share with so many others the opportunity to honour those Australians who served at that time.

I am not old enough to remember—I was born just in the war—but I did know something of the impact that the Second World War had on us here in Australia. My family at that time lived in Bronte. My grandmother used to describe to me the impact of the shells coming over Bronte Beach towards Garden Island. The Japanese, intent on invading Australia, brought their presence right to our door.

Nearly one million Australians served in World War II. Around 30,000 were captured as prisoners of war, and 40,000 made the ultimate sacrifice, never to return home. The Second World War was the first time that a foreign nation had carried out attacks on Australian soil. As I said, there were shells over Sydney, and certainly in Darwin the impact was very significant.

For me, however, it was those whom I knew who were involved in these tragic events who brought it home to me. During the Centenary of Anzac, we acknowledged the service of those in all wars and peacekeeping operations over a century of service. But, for many, and some of them are still with us, the Second World War is still very much in their mind. There have been commemorative events that have taken place, but I want to identify with a number of individuals whom I have known who were involved as prisoners of war who were taken to participate in the Burma Thai railway.

Early in 1943, the Imperial Japanese Army determined to speed up the 420 kilometres of Burma Thai railway, and they used 9,500 Australian prisoners of war, some 51,000 British, Dutch and American prisoners of war and 270,000 conscripted civilians as forced labour for its construction. Many died, tragically—some 2,646 Australians, 10,000 other prisoners of war and 70,000 civilians. That railway was completed six months after my birth, in October 1943.

It is amazing that many who served in that situation ultimately took the view that, in contributing to Australia and Australia's future, an engagement in public life would be appropriate for them. Some have only recently left us. A predecessor of the member for Werriwa, the late Tom Uren, was one of those who served. Can I simply say that he recalled, in a speech that he gave in this place in 1988, that there were 11 parliamentarians who had been taken as prisoners of war during that time, and he noted them all. They were members of this parliament. There was Charles Anderson MC MP. Tom Uren spoke on his death. The Hon. Sir Kenneth Anderson KBE, Ken Anderson, was a mayor of Ryde, later a senator and a government leader. His daughter, Robyn Kerr, whom I fondly remember, a good friend, worked for me in my electorate office for a time. There were Adair Blain MP; Senator George Branson; Sir Alexander Downer, our friend Alex's father; the Hon. Sir Wilfrid Kent Hughes MP; Thomas Pearsall; the Hon. Reg Swartz KBE MP; and Sir Winton Turnbull CBE MP.

I mention all of them, but I want to remember one particularly who is still with us. He has been a friend to many of us. I saw him at Tom Uren's funeral. I saw him at Malcolm Fraser's funeral. He is frail, but Sir John Carrick, the former general secretary of the Liberal Party in New South Wales, was very much a stalwart of the Liberal Party who gave leadership and certainly ensured the success of Sir Robert Menzies over a period of time. He is somebody whom I still regularly quote if I need to give advice to people about how they should conduct themselves in public life. I feel very privileged to have known him. I feel very privileged to know that he has mentored so many on this list.

He spoke some Japanese and was able to intervene and support those who were prisoners of war. His leadership in public life was something that he offered in that perilous situation. His is a unique contribution. He is well into his 90s now and frail, but I am delighted he is still with us. I know John Howard would want me to say, on his behalf, that he is a man who has been very special, as he has been to the member for Ryan and me.

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