Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

RMACK () (): At the outset I acknowledge the member for Stirling, who proposed this debate, as well as the member for Solomon for his fine service to our nation through the military. I acknowledge that today the veteran and defence suicide royal commission is beginning its hearings in Brisbane, and I acknowledge also the amount of investment that this government has put into defence generally and into veterans' welfare.

The Governor General, David Hurley, at one time a platoon commander at the home of the soldier, Wagga Wagga, returned to the base just the other day. As the reviewing officer at a March Out parade, as reported by ABC Riverina, he recalled similar events when he was at that recruit-training base. Governor General Hurley told those present:

I had many a father come up to me and say, 'Well, I don't know what you did, mate, but it's a bloody miracle. It's not really a miracle — it's the product of the work put in by your staff and all here at Kapooka, to see you through your training. It's the product of your families and your friends who have supported you during this 83-day journey. But more than that, it's the product of your determination, your desire to complete this training and become an Australian soldier.

We need the best, the brightest and the bravest to continue that long line of khaki stretching right back to Gallipoli and even before that. Only in recent days we've deployed Townsville troops, trained at Wagga Wagga, to the troubled Solomon Islands. Those 60 or so recruits, who were addressed by Governor General Hurley, joined more than 350,000 before them in graduating from that gruelling 12-week course.

I'm in a privileged position, as the member for Riverina, given that the largest centre in the electorate, my home town of Wagga Wagga, is a tri-service city, where all three arms of defence have a significant presence. We have the Army and we have the Air Force—and if you end up spending any given time in the Royal Australian Air Force you'll end up at Forest Hill. And even though we're many hundreds of kilometres from the nearest drop of seawater, we also have a Navy base. How fantastic is that?

I often say to the students at university graduations, that their degree is the key to their future, but I want to suggest that enlisting in the Australian Defence Force is a ticket to endless opportunity. That's not only because those who sign up to defend our nation and its interests earn themselves our heartfelt thanks and eternal respect but that they sign up for an array of career opportunities and benefits. Signing up to the ADF opens the door to a multitude of benefits and advantages, such as flexible working arrangements, being paid to maintain personal health and fitness, a constant variety of work, the provision of meals and accommodation, and the opportunity to learn more and to gain new skills. Career options in the ADF range from aircraft maintenance officers, administration and human resources officers, communication specialists, engineers, chefs, mechanics, medics, air traffic controllers, combatants, infantry officers, and geospatial and intelligence analysts. There are so many opportunities and so many advantages.

One only needs to look at the history of commandants of Blamey Barracks, Kapooka—the home of the soldier—to see the great heights and achievements of those who have led this fine institution. Mick Garraway went from leading Kapooka to assisting in the New South Wales bushfire crisis. Andrew Nikolic went from Kapooka to being a member of the House of Representatives. Steve Jobson was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross in 2012 for his service during the Queensland floods. Outgoing Commandant Jim Hammett was recognised in the 2017 Queen's Birthday honours—and well done to him. He is to be replaced by Andrew Deacon, the youngest ever commandant at 38 years old. He's a lieutenant-colonel now and may that colonel rank be forever attached to this role, as it is one of—if not the most—important positions in Army. I appreciate the Chief of the Defence Force and the Chief of Army are important roles, but making sure that those recruits at Wagga Wagga are their best selves when they come out of the place is such an important role. I cannot emphasise that enough.

Serving in the armed forces, of course, comes with great risk, and we acknowledge that. It comes with great sacrifice. Our Defence Force members give up time with their families and friends to serve our nation. We give them eternal gratitude. I know that the benefits and advantages of being an ADF member are many, and I am so pleased to be able to speak in this debate, because we want, our best, our brightest and our bravest to continue to wear those uniforms. Whatever colour they are, ADF uniforms have a proud past, are very good now, and they have a great future ahead.

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