Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the House record its deep sorrow at the death, on 2 February 2011, of Corporal Richard Edward Atkinson while on combat operations in Afghanistan, and place on record its greatest appreciation of his service to our country, and tender its profound sympathy to his family in their bereavement.

On behalf of the government and on behalf of the people of this nation—this very proud and very grateful nation—I rise to honour Corporal Richard Atkinson, who gave his life last week in the cause of a safer world. Corporal Atkinson was a brave young man on his first deployment to Afghanistan. He was a young man, 22 years old. He was soon to be married and he had so much of his life ahead of him. He died serving our nation, he died alongside his mates, he died for his country; and his sacrifice was not in vain.

Today the loved ones of Corporal Atkinson mourn: his mum and dad, Ross and Kate, his brother, James, and sister-in-law, Sumah, and his fiancée, Dannielle. I have spoken to Ross, his father. He is a man of great dignity and he is struggling with some very great grief. Ross told me that he takes comfort from the fact that the last few times he spoke to Richard, the last few times that he called home, he talked about how much he enjoyed being in the Army. He talked about how much he wanted to be there serving the nation in Afghanistan.

Our thoughts are with Richard’s mother and father and his brother and sister-in-law, but they are also very much with a very young woman, Dannielle, his fiancée. Dannielle is a young woman who has now lost the man she loves, a young woman whose dreams of having Richard’s children are now shattered. Her pain, I believe, is almost beyond our imagining and we should not pretend that the uttering of words of condolence in this chamber today will ease that pain. But today we honour her sacrifice and we are united in wishing her the courage and the strength she will need for the future. Today we also mourn with Richard’s colleagues in the 1st Combat Engineer Regiment and the wider Australian Army. They have lost a mate.

Corporal Atkinson’s death is the 22nd loss our nation has faced in Afghanistan. It is, as I warned last year, a hard road—a road that will bring more bad news before the job is done.

In the same incident a comrade of Corporal Atkinson’s was wounded and we hold him in our hearts today as well. He is receiving the best care we can provide him and we wish him well in the days of recovery that lie ahead. One hundred and sixty-eight ADF personnel have been wounded in Afghanistan, many grievously. All of them have our support; all of them have our thanks. We will not let go and we will not forget.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to support the gracious words of the Prime Minister because Australia is today—and has been for the past week—mourning the death of another brave soldier, Corporal Richard Atkinson, who has been killed in action by a roadside bomb. Our hearts go out to his family and to his friends and especially to his grieving fiancée, as our hearts go out also to his comrade wounded in the same incident and to his comrade’s family and friends.

Yes, we know nothing we can say here today will dull their grief, but we hope what we say here today is of some comfort to them, as we hope what we have said in this parliament on earlier occasions is of some comfort to the families and friends of the 22 Australians killed in action and the 168 wounded in action. Yes, this is a dangerous task—a very dangerous task indeed. We are trying to build a more humane Afghanistan. Our soldiers are trying to make the world safer from terrorism. It is very dangerous, but it is absolutely necessary. This work cannot be abandoned, and it does have the full support of the coalition.

Stephen Smith (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to associate myself with the remarks of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition on our condolence motion for Corporal Richard Atkinson. Corporal Atkinson’s death was a blow to our nation and a tragedy for his family. Our thoughts, as they have from the first moment, go to his fiancee, Dannielle, and also to his father and mother, Ross and Kate. As Minister for Defence, I have had the great privilege of speaking both to Dannielle and to Ross, and at this moment of terrible grieving they are conducting themselves with great stoicism and with great pride and honour at the service that Richard paid to his country.

At 22 years of age he became our 22nd fatality in Afghanistan. Whilst our thoughts are with Dannielle, Ross, Kate and the rest of their family, this is also a time when, for 21 other families, it will be a terrible reminder of their own tragic loss. Our thoughts go with them, as they do to Sapper Rose, wounded in the same improvised explosive device explosion, and to his family, together with the families and friends of the over 160 who have been wounded in the course of our commitment and contribution in Afghanistan.

Corporal Atkinson was a fine young soldier. He served in Indonesia in 2009 on Operation Padang Assist, seeing the two great arms of Australian Defence Force personnel contribution: military, defence and national security; and humanitarian intervention and disaster assistance. Members would have seen from the ramp ceremony in Tarin Kowt over the weekend, telecast into Australia, the sorrow in the eyes of his mates but the great pride in which he was held—the respect and the regard.

As the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition have said, this has of course occurred in the course of our contribution to Afghanistan. Richard’s family should understand that he died pursuing our nation’s national interest and that he died pursuing Australia’s contribution to the international community’s efforts to stare down international terrorism. Our thoughts, our prayers and our thanks are with them at this point.

Stuart Robert (Fadden, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Science, Technology and Personnel) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to join the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the Minister for Defence here in this great hall of democracy to honour the fallen Corporal Richard Atkinson—22 years old, short-haired, fit, strong, healthy, the world seemingly at his feet—who under normal circumstances would be considered a young man, yet to us here is a warrior old beyond his years—old enough to serve his country; old enough to die for it.

The English poet and Great War veteran Siegfried Sassoon said:

Soldiers are dreamers; when the guns begin

They think of firelit homes, clean beds, and wives.

It is profoundly sad that Corporal Atkinson will never realise his dream of marrying his fiancee, Dannielle, or spending another holiday with his parents, Ross and Kate, his brother, James, and his sister-in-law, Sumah. To them and his wider family and friends, we offer our most sincere condolences.

Corporal Atkinson epitomised all that is great about the volunteer Australian soldier. He was tragically killed in action because he would not ask his men to do anything that he himself would not do. Selfless, spirited and professional to the very end, he has set an enduring example, leading from the front, caring for his mates and staring down adversity with grit and determination.

This is a selfless act that we cannot forget. He fell on a battlefield that is the front line in the fight for our very way of life. He fell fighting for freedom for the Afghani people and freedom for all Australians that dream of a life where the insipidly cowardly act of terrorism is a mere byword. He and his family have paid a high and exacting price for the freedom we enjoy.

For 110 years, Australia’s military have watched zealously over our national freedoms. They have stood in the watchtowers of our national conscience and have borne the brunt of our national demands. Over 100,000 Australians have fallen, sealing this commitment with their blood, and Corporal Atkinson has now joined their hallowed ranks, his name added to those of 21 other Australian soldiers tragically killed in action in Afghanistan.

Corporal Atkinson never asked for anything in return for his service except our friendship and our understanding. It is incumbent upon us to remember him always, for he has richly earned our respect and enduring admiration. He knew service above self and demonstrated so ably that there is no greater love than this: to lay down your life for your friends. If the price of freedom is eternal vigilance then let us steel ourselves once again for the fight ahead; let us recommit anew to care for our fighting men and women and those left behind; and let us honour Corporal Atkinson’s sacrifice. He is the epitome of the modern-day Anzac, and he has truly made us proud.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As a mark of respect, I invite honourable members to rise in their places.

Honourable members having stood in their places—

Debate (on motion by Mr Albanese) adjourned.