Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to, like everybody else, pay my respects to Jack Patrick Fitzgibbon, who, in serving his nation, was tragically injured and later died from his wounds. I know Joel very well and I know Dianne. They're in the seat next door to mine, and, as people know, Joel and I were on television together for years as sparring partners. As people probably understand, this is our football paddock. We play football hard on the paddock, but we don't play it in the corridors and we don't play it in the changerooms.

Joel is a good fella, and the Fitzgibbons are a good a family. Joel's father served in parliament, Joel served in parliament and his son served in the Army. That's a family of honour. I've said that numerous times, and Joel's probably sick of hearing me say it. But that's a family of honour, and that honour remains with the family forevermore. Jack's service and the honour that that has brought to the Fitzgibbon family remains with that family and will remain with them forevermore. But, for Joel, Dianne, Caitlin, Grace and his partner, Kass, the sorrow will remain with them forevermore as well. Nothing is going to replace that.

Every time this time of year comes around, there'll be thoughts about their beautiful boy, and you can just see from the photos that he was a fit, happy young man. As a lance corporal, they say he didn't chase being an officer. But he'd been school captain, so he obviously had leadership capabilities. I must admit that I'm proposing here that he enjoyed his time with his troops and enjoyed being with his men. He loved his life—that's what Joel said. We all, at some stage, come to our demise—we're all going to come to our end. It's not everything, but the form in which it comes to an end is a big part of it. Jack lived a very full life, for the very short time he had it, and died doing what he loved. But, in doing what he loved, he was also serving our nation. If we don't have people who sign on the dotted line—and, as soon as you do that, put your life on the line—then we can't defend our nation.

It's so sad when you see someone with a smile on their face, a larrikin air, a beer in their hand at times, who has a bit of fun with people—in that same personality is the sense that 'I'm prepared to give my life in service to my country; I'm prepared and accept that it's absolutely in the realm that I may be killed in training or killed in service'. As soon as Jack put on the uniform, as soon as Jack signed the piece of paper, he would have known that.

In recognising Jack, we've got to recognise the many people who have been killed in training—the Blackhawk disaster; we had the Taipan; we've had people throughout the history of the military who have been killed in training. Tragically, they're just as dead as anybody else, and that service should be recognised. I've spoken to other service personnel about how we actually recognise these people, who in service to our nation in the military, have paid the supreme sacrifice by the loss of their life.

When we see a person who is so fit and they can do so many things, that's the type of person we want to go into the military. If Jack had a physical impairment, he wouldn't have got in. But, when you're in excellent physical condition and strong in mind like Jack, that's the person who puts their life on the line. I've spoken to Joel a couple of times. Vicky sent out her love to Joel. My heart broke at the funeral, just catching up with Dianne—how her only boy, her beautiful boy, has been taken from her. Her life has been turned upside down. And also to Caitlin and Grace—I only just met Kass—and to the Fitzgibbon family, I say: you're a family of honour.

As shadow veterans' affairs minister, I also extend that to all families who have lost their son or daughter through service or through their contribution and participation in Australia's defence forces. Now, with the royal commission on foot, we're seeing the tragedy of so many others in other parts that have lost their life.

I hope that this memory of Jack, as sad as it is, also recognises the celebration of an incredible life and the celebration of an incredible person. For my own part, when Jack was visiting he had rosary beads, so he was also a person who had faith. As a person of faith, I believe he's with our Lord and maker and his existence now is better than what he would have ever had on earth. If you believe that, you've got to have hope. You can't be totally morose and not accept that there is an afterlife—that this is it.

I will close on this. I want to commend the military, for the precision and sharpness of that funeral was exceptional. It means something, and I know the member for Solomon has done much more military service than I have. I was in the reserve family for the military. You really do watch—drill. Those men and women were absolutely A1. And that's a sign of respect for the person—how you carry yourself, your dress, your drill, your cadence, your patience and your stillness. It's a sign of discipline and respect.

I was thinking about this when the catafalque party came in and rested arms around the coffin of Jack. I was thinking, 'I don't think anybody understands how hard it is to stay motionless for that long.' Why do people do it? Because they are seeing off their mate. What are you going to do for your mate when it's probably innate in your feelings that you don't want to be overt with your emotions and lose your temperance? You say: 'I will do this job, and my job now is drill. My job now is the ceremonial, and I will do absolutely A1 perfectly to show my mate that he had a life well lived and to show my mate my respect for him.'

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