Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

on indulgence—I want to support the words of the Prime Minister with regard to the support of our troops. There are decisions that governments make that are not agreed with or are supported, depending on the circumstances in relation to committing troops to a conflict. Today, on the 20th anniversary, I want to pay respect to all those men and women who wore the uniform of our country and represented us in our country's name at the direction of the government of the day. They were involved in combat operations, in counterinsurgency, in the training of Iraqi security forces, in national reconstruction and in humanitarian work. Today I think it's particularly appropriate that we remember the fallen.

We remember Flight Lieutenant Paul Pardoel. Paul was a dual citizen who served with both the Royal Australian Air Force and the Royal Air Force. In 2005 the RAF plane he was travelling in was attacked and crashed, killing all 10 on board. We also remember Trooper Matthew Millhouse. In 2004 Matthew's armoured vehicle was hit by an IED. Coming to after being knocked unconscious, he helped his injured mates and, as a result of that terrible incident, Matthew would later be diagnosed with early onset dementia which cost him his life in 2015. We also remember David Nary. David was a member of the SAS who served in operations in East Timor and in Afghanistan in his country's name. During 2005 there was a live-fire training exercise in Kuwait while preparing for deployment to Iraq, and David was tragically killed after being accidentally hit by a vehicle. We also remember Private Jacob Kovco, part of a security detachment which was protecting Australian officials at our embassy in Baghdad. Heartbreakingly in 2006 he was killed after an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound. We also remember Australia's first casualty in Iraq was Jacob. We remember Squadron Leader Garry Doecke. He was a chaplain of the Royal Australian Air Force, and he provided great support to those men and women around him. We remember all of those who today still suffer the scars, having returned from that conflict, and we recognise the fact that all of them fought in their country's name at their country's direction to keep us safe where we live here in Australia.

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