Cathy O'Toole (Herbert, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I commend the shadow minister for this motion. I rise in this place today to honour those who have served or have in some way been involved in international peacekeeping activities. On Thursday, 14 September 2017, Australia marked the 70th anniversary of our involvement in international peacekeeping and peacemaking. Australia first sent military observers on the United Nations Consular Commission to Indonesia in September 1947 and, over the intervening 70 years, over 70,000 Australians from military and civilian operatives have served around the world. Peacekeepers and peacemakers play an important role in providing support and assistance to victims of conflict, often in unstable and dangerous locations.

Australian peacekeepers have been engaged as military observers and have provided logistical support and monitored ceasefires. They have been involved in landmine clearance operations, supported democratic elections, facilitated the delivery of humanitarian aid and assisted in the repatriation of refugees. We must recognise the valuable work that our Australian peacekeepers and peacemakers do in order to assist in the transition from conflict to peace. The work that these men and women do is not easy, and they are often placed in very dangerous situations, especially in relation to human conflicts and natural disasters.

In the early years, Australia's peacekeepers were generally unarmed military observers, promoting peace indirectly by ensuring that neither side in a conflict could violate a ceasefire or commit atrocities without the knowledge of the United Nations and the world community. Over time, the nature of peacekeeping and peacemaking has evolved, requiring peacekeepers to manage more complex and multidimensional issues, such as those which emerged in the Middle East and Africa. Australian state and federal police forces have also had a long involvement in peacekeeping operations, beginning in 1964 with the first deployment to Cyprus, a peacekeeping commitment that continues to this very day.

Today military observers with a peacekeeping operation are more impartial and can use their military training to assess the situation more accurately, whilst allowing the media to play a role in reporting the situation. Australia's most recent peacekeeping role was as part of RAMSI, the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands, which ended earlier this year. At the request of the Solomon Islands government, 15 countries joined in partnership to assist the Solomon Islands to lay the foundations for long-term stability, security and prosperity. RAMSI is now solely a policing mission, working in partnership with the Royal Solomon Island Police Force to build a modern, effective and independent police force that has the confidence and support of the community. Australia leads the mission and contributes 95 per cent of its funding.

Australia has been actively involved in peace operations for 70 years and, through this time, has provided military and police personnel to more than 50 United Nations and other multilateral peace and security operations nations since 1947. Australian police have also served in Cambodia, Haiti, Mozambique, Bougainville and Timor. This tradition and duty continues to be carried out today, with Australians serving in peace and security operations around the globe. We currently have Australian peacekeepers serving in the Middle East in the UN Truce Supervision Organization, the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus and the UN Mission in the Republic of Southern Sudan. I look forward to these peacekeepers' safe return home to their families, friends and loved ones.

On Saturday, 23 September 2017, the Townsville branch of the Australian Peacekeeper and Peacemaker Veterans' Association, in collaboration with the Vietnam Veterans Association, held a 70th anniversary commemoration service at Deep Creek Retreat in Clare. I was privileged to be invited to participate in this commemoration, where we paid our respects to those who have served and to those who did not come home. We paid special tribute to those who are living with the memories of trauma and tragedy. The impact of the trauma was confirmed when I spoke to the men, women and families who attended. I will always fight to ensure that we provide services that assist them to address the trauma, feelings of loneliness, and isolation. We must recognise that those on peacekeeping and peacemaking missions are often in the centre of dangerous conflicts and are exposed to the atrocities of war. I pay my respects to the 16 Australians who have lost their lives during peacekeeping operations. I honour these brave men and women and extend sincere gratitude for the work they have accomplished during their missions.

Without a doubt, the role played by our peacekeepers and peacemakers has left our world a much better place. In times of turmoil, we turn to those courageous men and women and ask them to put their lives on the line for the benefit of our country and for the good of all nations. Lest we forget.

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