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

I move:

That the House record its deep regret at the death on 16 March 2009 of Corporal Mathew Hopkins, while on combat operations in Afghanistan, place on record its appreciation of his service to the country and tender its profound sympathy to his family in their bereavement.

On behalf of the parliament, the government and the nation, I wish to express our deepest sympathy to Corporal Hopkins’s family and friends. I would like to offer my heartfelt condolences to Corporal Hopkins’s wife, Victoria; his little son, Alex; his mother and father, Bronwyn and Ricky; and his younger brother, Corey. I also wish to extend our sympathy to his fellow service men and women. Corporal Hopkins was a father, a husband, a loving son and a dedicated soldier of the Australian Defence Force. A proud Brisbane boy, he was a passionate supporter of the Broncos and the Maroons. He was a valued member of the Darwin based 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment.

He was known as a friendly and approachable bloke with a genuine caring attitude for his soldiers. He was an experienced soldier and a leader of men. He had served once before in Afghanistan. He had risen to the rank of corporal and was a section commander with combat experience. He always led from the front and has been described by many as a source of inspiration for his personal courage and his mateship. Corporal Hopkins aspired to join the Army from a very young age. He was dedicated to serving and protecting his country. He lived the values of professionalism and camaraderie in the great tradition of the Australian military. His loss will be deeply felt by the Australian Defence Force and our nation.

Recently married to Victoria, Corporal Hopkins was a loving family man who became a proud father to young Alex just weeks ago. The thoughts and prayers of all Australians go out to this young family at this most difficult time. There is no higher calling than to serve our nation in uniform. Corporal Hopkins did this with distinction through his valued work as a member of the first Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force in Afghanistan. He lost his life serving his nation with bravery and honour. He is the ninth Australian to lose his life in Afghanistan. He is the ninth Australian to lose his life helping to secure that country from the grip of terrorism.

We must never forget that the malignant heart of terrorism today is still alive and well in Afghanistan. And we must never forget the direct impact that al-Qaeda and the Taliban have had on our own region and on the lives of our fellow Australians. Since 2000, over 100 Australian citizens have been killed in major terrorist attacks, the perpetrators of which were trained primarily in Afghanistan or in the border region with Pakistan. Within our own region, individuals who have undergone terrorist training in Afghanistan continue to remain at large. We therefore remain committed to taking the fight to the terrorists and helping to secure Afghanistan against violent extremism. In doing so, we know that brave soldiers like Corporal Hopkins will be called upon to defend our country and some will make the ultimate sacrifice. His sacrifice and those who have fallen before him will never be forgotten by the government, the parliament or the nation. On behalf of the Australian government, we offer our prayers and our support to Corporal Hopkins’s family, friends and fellow soldiers.

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

I second the motion. It is hard to imagine an experience more heart-wrenching or more poignant than that of a father who must leave a newborn child to go to war. We in the opposition join in profound sadness with the Prime Minister and the nation as we offer our deepest condolences for the loss in Afghanistan of Corporal Mathew Hopkins. The thoughts and prayers of all Australians are with his loved ones, especially his wife, Victoria; his parents, Bronwyn and Ricky; his brother, Corey; and his baby son, Alex. This tiny boy was cradled in his father’s arms for only a few precious days before Corporal Hopkins returned to duty in Afghanistan. It is a tragedy beyond words.

As a nation we are reminded frequently of the dangers our forces face in Afghanistan every day. As a nation we are immensely proud of the men and women of the Australian Defence Force for their service and their sacrifice. As a nation we know there can be no greater grief than news that a 21-year-old soldier, so respected by his comrades in arms and with so much ahead of him in life, will not be coming home to his young family. Our duty, our debt, to Corporal Hopkins for the years to come is to ensure that his wife and son have all the love and support that they deserve. Our duty is to honour the memory of this brave young man who went to Afghanistan in our name, in our uniform, serving under our flag. Our duty is to ensure that as Matt Hopkins’s little boy grows up and embarks on a life of his own, he will always know that his father served nobly and courageously in the cause of making the world a safer place.

We have been privileged in these difficult days to hear moving tributes to Corporal Hopkins from two proud and stoic women, his mother and his young wife. From them we have heard that Matt Hopkins was a proud Queenslander, a proud son of the sunshine state, a Brisbane boy with a passionate fervour for the Maroons and the Broncos. He was also a passionate and patriotic Australian. From a young age, all he wanted to do was to join the Army and serve his country. He signed up as soon as he had finished his studies at Kenmore High. In Afghanistan he served with the 7th Battalion as a member of the Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force, and his mates called him ‘Hoppy’. His mission was to help train and support members of Afghanistan’s security forces to secure and defend themselves against Taliban extremists. That was Corporal Hopkins’s job, and he carried it out professionally and courageously in the most difficult conditions against the most dangerous of enemies. On Monday, they came under fire from a group of Taliban insurgents while they were on patrol with Afghan colleagues north of Tarin Kowt. The patrol returned the fire. We lost Matt Hopkins during this intense exchange of gunfire.

Corporal Hopkins is the ninth Australian to be killed in Afghanistan since 2002. We are forever indebted for his sacrifice. He will be remembered as a father of whom any son would be proud. In years to come, Alex, I hope you will read these words that your mum is hearing today. And, when you do, you will know that all of us here assembled, representing the entire nation—your nation—to honour your father’s courage and to thank him for his service. We say to you, Alex Hopkins, across the years, that no son could have a finer example of strength and honour, courage and sacrifice, than the example your father has given to you, his baby son, and to all of us Australians.

Question agreed to, honourable members standing in their places.