Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on indulgence: I wish to make a statement to the House concerning the death of an Australian soldier. I was deeply saddened to learn that an Australian soldier was killed yesterday in Afghanistan. He was a fine and courageous soldier in the great Anzac tradition. He died while his patrol and their Afghan National Army colleagues came under attack 12 kilometres north of Tarin Kowt. I have been advised that no other Australians were wounded in the engagement.

On behalf of the Australian government I extend my condolences to the family of this soldier, his friends and his loved ones. This is a sad day, and the thoughts and prayers of the entire nation are with his family at this most difficult time. We are forever in the debt of this brave soldier who has given his life. The whole nation mourns his death. At the request of the soldier’s family, his name will not be released at this time but I can inform the House that he was serving as a member of the Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force. I have said before that there is no higher calling than to wear the uniform of Australia. Those who choose to wear that uniform serve to protect and defend our nation. Some of them serve on foreign soil. They serve in some of the harshest environments on earth. They face daunting challenges every day. Today we are again reminded that some who wear the uniform of Australia make the ultimate sacrifice.

As a result of this incident, nine Australian soldiers have now tragically lost their lives in Afghanistan. Afghanistan remains a very dangerous place, but it is a central and continuing part of our ongoing fight against extremism and terrorism. We should always remember that, in the past, international terrorism found a safe haven in Afghanistan under the Taliban. We cannot allow this to happen again because the implications are felt all around the world, including in Australia. The government remains committed to confronting the ongoing threat from international terrorism and bringing greater stability to Afghanistan. Today our nation grieves with this man’s family and our thoughts and prayers go out to his fellow soldiers serving now in Afghanistan. His sacrifice will not be forgotten.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on indulgence: I join with the Prime Minister in offering the condolences of the opposition and the nation for the loss yesterday of an Australian soldier in Afghanistan. The thoughts and prayers of all Australians are with the loved ones of this brave man. As a nation we are reminded frequently of the dangers our forces face in Afghanistan every day. The loss of this soldier in an intense and prolonged exchange of gunfire just north of Tarin Kowt brings the total of Australian casualties in Afghanistan to nine since 2002. As a nation we are immensely proud of the men and women of the Australian Defence Force for their service and their sacrifice. In Afghanistan they are fighting in defence of our values of liberty and democracy, wearing our uniform and serving under our flag against the world’s most dangerous and treacherous enemy.

One of the critical long-term challenges we face is to help provide Afghanistan’s security forces with the training and support they need to be capable, ultimately, of securing and defending their society against the extremist threat. This is a key mission for our Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force. It was to that end that our troops were on patrol with their Afghanistan colleagues near a village north of Tarin Kowt. They came under fire from a group of Taliban insurgents and the patrol returned that fire. One of our own was shot and fatally wounded during the battle. Earlier today the Chief of the Defence Force paid tribute to this brave man as a professional and courageous soldier. All Australians are indebted for this, the greatest of sacrifices in our name. Again, we extend our love, our gratitude and our most profound sympathy to his family, his friends and his comrades in arms.