Henry Pike (Bowman, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is a privilege to rise this afternoon to honour the life of Jim Molan AO, DSC. He will be remembered as a patriot who served our country with distinction as a soldier, a senator, a volunteer firefighter, an author and a policy problem solver. His was a life of dedicated service: service to his country, service to his family and service to his friends. To me, as a first-term MP, he was incredibly generous with his time and advice, and I'll certainly miss his guidance and wisdom.

Jim, of course, served in many roles in the Australian Army, the most significant of which was his tenure as chief of operations for the coalition forces in Iraq. When you consider the number of personnel and the complexity of that mission, this is probably the most senior and consequential position held by an Australian general since the Second World War. His service was instrumental in repelling insurgents and ensuring the security of Iraq's transport and infrastructure. He played no small part in the success of that engagement, and I'm certain that, when the passage of time allows for a full historical analysis of what occurred in that conflict, Jim Molan's contribution will be highly commended. He was, of course, awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, and from the United States government he was awarded the Legion of Merit.

A few short years after Jim's retirement from the Army, I invited him to speak at a dinner that I was organising, following a rugby game between the Young Liberals and the Young Nationals in Bungendore, just down the road here, near to where Jim was living at the time on the outskirts of Canberra. Jim provided a completely unvarnished assessment of the war in Iraq, what was required to win and where the strategic landscape was sitting. All attendees were struck by the clarity and the accuracy of his analysis. As time progressed, nearly all the factors that he flagged that night came to pass. All the potential obstacles were struck, and his proposed solutions were all eventually adopted.

He was a man who saw much further than others did. He was not just a strategic visionary but also someone with a capacity to identify the path forward towards victory. Of course, his capacity for service and his sharp, strategic mind continued to be engaged by the Australian government long after his retirement from the Army. He played an instrumental role in Operation Sovereign Borders. He was appointed as a special advisor to the defence minister and provided advice on the 2016 Defence white paper. And, of course, his contribution to the Senate over recent years was a fitting avenue for his skills and his years of experience. His passion for national security issues, his passion for veterans and his passion for regional Australians will stand in my mind as the enduring legacy of his amazing public service.

His final book, Danger on our Doorstep, will stand as a warning for years to come about the ambitions and military build-up of the CCP. I recently bought many copies of this book as Christmas presents for some of the people who had assisted me throughout the year with my work, and Jim was kind enough, despite his failing health in those last weeks of his life, to write a thoughtful handwritten message to each recipient. This was such a part of who Jim was: always willing to go the extra mile; no task too much, to support a colleague. I know these books will be treasured for years to come. And I will certainly be doing what I can do to ensure that his message against national defence complacency is heeded by our government.

To his wife, Anne, his children and his grandchildren: we thank you for sharing Jim. Thank you for sharing him with your nation for so many decades. He was a great Australian, and he will be greatly missed. Jim Molan, rest in eternal peace.

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