Nola Marino (Forrest, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise in the debate on this condolence motion for Sapper Rowan Robinson to speak wholly and solely on behalf of Lance Corporal Michael Powell. Michael Powell trained with Sapper Robinson at basic training in Kapooka and the School of Military Engineering in Sydney and they were sappers in the 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment in Townsville. Lance Corporal Powell has given me his words to read here today:

Sapper Rowan 'Robbo' Robinson was my mate. We joined the Army together and we served together. I knew him well. I miss him.

Robbo was an incredible person, a superb friend and an exceptional soldier.

Even upon joining the Army he was mature beyond his years and an inspiration to all his peers.

His skills and abilities were vast and varied. From singing and playing the guitar to military diving he could do it or he had done it.

With elite fitness and a rare strength of character his passing is devastating.

This was Rowans second trip to Afghanistan. When asked to serve, he stepped up proudly, with passion for his profession and unwavering commitment to his mates.

His vibrant smile and outstanding personality will be forever missed and never forgotten.

Those words are the words of Lance Corporal Michael Powell.

Jane Prentice (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Monday, 6 June this year, Sapper Rowan Jaie Robinson was killed by enemy fire in northern Helmand, Afghanistan. I did not know Rowan Robinson personally nor would most Australians, but with them I honour him.

I have read the brief report of the action in which he was killed and I have seen the statement by his family. But I cannot honour him as those who knew him and loved him honour him. I cannot share with you, with this House, some personal insight into this brave young man. What I can do is to thank him on behalf of so many Australians, because this brave young man went to war at his nation's request—at our request—not once but on two separate deployments. Rowan Robinson died fighting for Australia, for all of us. Not for him is the opportunity for the debate and discussions we have in this place—the debate and discussions we have because of the bravery of so many young Australians in Afghanistan and those who have gone before. It was simply an order, a deployment, an operation and a duty proudly undertaken. His family's statement said:

… he took his work very seriously, knowing he was responsible for the lives of those who followed him through dangerous ground. He knew the risk of his job and accepted it.

How courageous is that! And yet that is what we ask of our troops each time they go to war, each mission, each patrol and each action. That is what we must never forget. These brave young men undertake these risks and sadly, many die—sadly, too many die. They take these risks because their nation asks them to. As I said some time ago, sadly, the remoteness of this war and the 15-second grab nature of television news means that many Australians do not see the harsh reality of war. They do not feel the pain and suffering of those who have lost a son, a brother, a friend.

To Rowan Robinson's family I offer my sympathy and that of the people of Ryan. There is little I can say that can take away the pain of your tragic loss. Your nation is forever in your debt because, like Rowan, you have paid the greatest price. You have lost someone you love—as simple, as harsh and as tragic as that. We must never forget that debt. To Rowan Robinson, I did not know you but in this place I honour you as I honour those who have gone before and those who are still there. I can only imagine the pain and suffering of your family. My heart is with them.

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

'He gave his today for our tomorrow': words which describe the sacrifice Sapper Rowan Jaie Robinson made to help make our world a better place, a safer place.

Sapper Rowan Robinson was fatally shot on 6 June by insurgent fire after his patrol destroyed an enemy weapons cache during operations in southern Helmand. Sapper Robinson was 23 years young, an outstanding, brave man—one of the bravest of the brave—who had joined the Australian Army in 2006, becoming a valued member of the 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment.

Originally deployed to Afghanistan when he was barely out of his teens in 2007 as part of Operation Slipper, on his second tour of duty Sapper Robinson was serving with the special operations Incident Response Regiment. He has been described by his mates and fellow soldiers as a happy-go-lucky guy and was a great member of his team. He was a dedicated and professional solider whose skills belied his youth. His friendly nature meant he was popular with peers and chain of command alike.

His family describe the immense pride with which Rowan wore his uniform and the seriousness with which he took his role as an Incident Response Regiment engineer. They were and still are so proud of their son and brother who chose to serve his country by joining the Army. To Sapper Robinson's family and wide circle of friends, I offer my sincere condolences and the heartfelt sorrow of the people of Riverina.

A soldier's death is always felt right across Australia because we are all mindful of the enormous devotion and extraordinary service given. The deep sense of individual and collective commitment and, at times such as this,

of personal and overall loss is felt particularly deeply at Blamey Barracks, the Army recruit training centre at Kapooka in my electorate of Riverina. Wagga Wagga is the home of the soldier—the regional city where every Army recruit goes to do his initial training.

When a soldier dies in combat it is a solemn reminder to new recruits of the challenges they will face but also reaffirms their commitment to serve Australia and reinforces their loyalty to the great ideal for which they serve—peace. It is a sad and sombre thought that Sapper Robinson's name has now been added to Australia's roll of honour for Afghanistan.

On 30 May this year we lost another two soldiers in Afghanistan, Lance Corporal Andrew Gordon Jones and Lieutenant Marcus Sean Case. Both soldiers were on their first deployment to Afghanistan. Lance Corporal Jones was serving with the Force Support Unit as a cook and was fatally shot by an Afghani who was a part of the coalition defence force, a person deemed to be friend not foe.

Lieutenant Case was serving as a Heron unmanned aerial vehicle operator and was killed when an Australian Chinook helicopter crashed in Zabul province around 90 kilometres east of the Australian base at Tarin Kowt. We also remember these two soldiers who returned to their beloved homeland not the way any soldier should have to, having done their duty helping those who need defending, protecting those who need protection, opposing those who warrant opposing, doing what is right because the international community abhors terrorism.

The deaths of Lance Corporal Jones and Lieutenant Case as well as Sapper Robinson bring Australia's death toll in Afghanistan to 27. To ensure these great warriors and their fallen comrades did not die in vain we must remain committed to our obligations in Afghanistan. We must remain committed to the troops still serving and we must not let the Taliban think they have won by showing any signs of considering a withdrawal. Fighting season, the Taliban-led spring offensive in Afghanistan, has not long started. To leave now would signal to them they have won. But they have not won and they will not—not now, not tomorrow, not into the future. There must be no safe haven for terrorism, no training camps for terrorists, no more 9-11s, no more Bali or London bombings.

In my parliamentary office hang two framed posters from 1919 detailing the sacrifice of soldiers—willing, enthusiastic and patriotic volunteers who fought and fell in World War I. It was called the Great War, but we know that no war is great. It was called the war to end all wars, but we know that war continues to this day. Sadly, while ever evildoers threatened to rise up and do evil things to innocent people, stopping these bad and mad people from future acts of atrocity must and will be a priority of those nations such as Australia which are prepared to have their best and bravest fight and, if necessary, die in the pursuit of peace. My World War I posters of valour are poignant reminders of the ultimate price paid by the 59,341 diggers so that we can stand here in our democratic parliament, in a democratic country, and voice our opinions freely. The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.

Our troops in Afghanistan today are carrying on the mighty traditions forged in the battlefields of Gallipoli, the Western Front and Northern Africa in 1914-18. This wonderful and enduring spirit of Anzac was appropriately mentioned on Monday by the New Zealand Prime Minister, the Right Hon. John Key, in his historic speech to the joint sitting of parliament. Our military personnel are helping to restore democracy in Afghanistan so that Afghans can one day hopefully enjoy the freedoms and liberties we enjoy in Australia and in New Zealand. We must ensure we remember this. We must ensure we remember those who have fallen fighting for this. We must remember Sapper Robinson and his 26 mates and the wider family that is the Australian Army—always remember. May they rest in peace. Lest we forget.

Bob Baldwin (Paterson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I rise to pay my respects and offer my heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Sapper Rowan Robinson. I would also say that, for a variety of reasons, I have not had the opportunity to place on the record my thoughts in relation to the loss of Lieutenant Marcus Case, Lance Corporal Andrew Jones, Sergeant Brett Wood, Sapper Jamie Larcombe and Corporal Richard Atkinson. I think back to some of the speeches which have been made since the Anzac legend was born on 25 April 1915. I want to bring forward a couple of quotes which are as true today as they were then. I would like to quote General Sir Ian Hamilton, who said:

Before the war, who had ever heard of ANZAC? Hereafter, who will ever forget it?

Mr Deputy Speaker, I put to you that the service of these Australian diggers has been in the same vein with the same spirit as those who have walked those grounds before them. They go to do the deeds of government in fighting for freedom and democracy. They embrace the challenges because those they leave behind in Australia—their family, their friends, their loved ones and their nation which they love so dearly—give them the strength and courage to stand side by side with their fellow diggers as they go into the heat of battle. As Henry Lawson wrote at the time of the war in a clarion call:

I tell you the Star of the South shall rise—in the lurid clouds of war.

Wherever these Anzacs served, they left a legacy, often larger than life. It was during March-April last year that I had the opportunity to go to Afghanistan. I did not know Sapper Robinson, Lieutenant Case, Lance Corporal Andrew Jones, Sergeant Wood, Sapper Larcombe or Corporal Atkinson and I had not met them, but I feel I had because I had met their colleagues, the people from the same units, the people these brave heroes served alongside. While I did not know them individually, I knew them because of what they were, who they were and how they served their nation with great distinction. We can never forget their sacrifice.

As it says in the Bible in John 15:13:

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

To a man, in our Defence Force, they are driven to fight as hard for their mates as for their nation. They would never expect their mates to do the heavy lifting for them. Their creed is that they do the heavy lifting for their mates. They never, ever leave anyone behind or in a position of danger. And that can be said of these fallen heroes. Other speakers have detailed their tours of duty and their well-earned, well-deserved medals of recognition for the campaigns that they have fought. But, simply said: how do you fill the hole that is left in the lives of their family and their friends? It is that hole that makes sure that they are remembered.

The final words of the ode are: lest we forget. That must play hard on our minds because we should never forget their service or their sacrifice in Afghanistan not just fighting for the freedoms and ideals of the people in Australia and to reduce the opportunity for terrorism, but fighting for people they do not know, so that those young boys and girls in Afghanistan can have the freedoms, the democracy and the opportunities that we sometimes take for granted in Australia. This is a war fought in a foreign land against an evil that knows no bounds and no rules, but these diggers step up to the plate.

When I sat around in Camp Holland talking to people—including Sapper Smith, who I had the opportunity to meet when I and my colleagues visited there and who unfortunately met a terrible fate—I got to know what drove them. If they had kids, they were there fighting for their kids' future. What they saw in the kids of Afghanistan was a reflection of their own children. They saw sense, they saw hope and they saw a future. They wanted the children in Afghanistan to grow up with the opportunities and freedoms that they ask for their own children.

How brave is an Australian soldier? They are not forced to go to war; they volunteer to go to war. In fact, some of them fight and train very hard to qualify to go and do what they do. Quite often, people divide up the recognition and the allocation of heroism for people who serve in various positions in the theatres of operation. My understanding as the former shadow minister for defence science and personnel and assisting shadow minister for defence, and my understanding based on having had personnel from Williamtown RAAF Base in my electorate for a long time, is that each and every member of our Defence Force plays a key and integral role in the success of the units. We have suffered these casualties. We have also had 179 wounded in the theatres of operation, the majority of which have occurred since 2007. But these diggers join an honour roll of fine men who have paid the ultimate price, so I would like to put their names on the honour roll:

Sergeant Andrew Russell, Special Air Service Regiment. Trooper David 'Poppy' Pearce, 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment. Sergeant Matthew Locke, Special Air Service Regiment. Private Luke Worsley, Special Operations Task Group. Lance Corporal Jason Marks, 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. Signaller Sean McCarthy, Special Service Regiment. Lieutenant Michael Fussell, 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. Private Gregory Michael Sher, 1st Commando Regiment, Australian Special Operations Command. Corporal Mathew Hopkins, 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. Sergeant Brett Till, Incident Response Regiment. Private Benjamin Ranaudo, 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. Sapper Jacob Moerland, 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment. Sapper Darren Smith, 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment. Private Scott Palmer, 2nd Commando Regiment, serving with Special Operations Task Group. Private Timothy Aplin, 2nd Commando Regiment, serving with Special Operations Task Group. Private Benjamin Chuck, 2nd Commando Regiment, serving with Special Operations Task Group. Private Nathan Bewes, 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. Trooper Jason Brown, Special Air Service Regiment. Private Grant Kirby, 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. Private Thomas Dale, 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. Lance Corporal Jared MacKinney, 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. Corporal Richard Atkinson, 1st Combat Engineer Regiment. Sapper Jamie Larcombe, 1st Combat Engineer Regiment. Sergeant Brett Wood, 2nd Commando Regiment. Lance Corporal Andrew Jones, 9th Force Support Battalion. Lieutenant Marcus Sean Case, 6th Aviation Regiment. Sapper Rowan Robinson, Incident Response Regiment.

I sincerely pray that this roll of honour of our fallen heroes grows by no more. We have paid enough of a price but if, indeed, more is to be paid to make sure the job is completed then that is the way it is. All of their families, of course, are devastated and saddened by their loss but the families that I have met with at the various ramp ceremonies and funerals for our diggers that I have attended, each to a T, has said, 'Please don't let their sacrifice be in vain.' They want the job completed because they understand the ideals that these fine Australian men gave their lives for and that must always be remembered. So I simply say as I honour these fine Australian heroes: lest we forget.

George Christensen (Dawson, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is with the deepest sympathy for the Robinson family that I speak on the loss of Rowan, who was killed while serving his country in Afghanistan on Monday, 6 June 2011, Afghanistan time. His loss is felt across this country but more so, obviously, by his mother and father, Marie and Peter, sister Rachael and two brothers, Ben and Troy. Words alone cannot express the heartfelt sorrow that we feel when one so young and full of life is taken from us. But it is with more than words that we reach out to those closest to Rowan. We also reach out with our thoughts, our prayers, our sympathy and our gratitude. We offer gratitude for the life, the joy, the mateship and the service that Rowan Robinson offered to those around him—to his family, his friends, his colleagues and his country.

Sapper Rowan Robinson, age 23, was a young Incident Response Regiment engineer based in Idalia in Townsville in my electorate of Dawson. His parents, too, live in Idalia but the grief of his loss is felt far beyond North Queensland. Rowan grew up with his family in Duranbah, where he attended Cudgen Public School. He later attended Mount St Patrick's College at Murwillumbah and Kingscliff High School. He was a long-time member of the Cudgen Headland Surf Life Saving Club. He left behind his life in New South Wales and fulfilled his dream of joining the Australian Defence Force. No doubt those who knew him back then will remember the easygoing nature that endeared him to so many. He was a popular young man among all he encountered—friends, colleagues and the chain of command in the Defence Force. His colleagues were as dear to him as he was to them.

Sapper Robinson was on his second deployment in Afghanistan as part of Operation Slipper when he was tragically killed by insurgents. I understand that Sapper Robinson and other Australian troops were with their partners from the Afghan National Police and were deployed to the northern Helmand province in Afghanistan, where there was a known insurgent distribution and supply cell. They discovered a large stash of weapons, including grenade launchers, ammo, assault rifles and communication equipment, and during that raid the patrol was shot at. The patrol destroyed the stash and moved on to another area where they again came under heavy fire from several directions, and this is where Sapper Rowan Robinson was tragically taken from us. I mention this only to say that Sapper Robinson died while saving lives. Every gun, rifle and grenade launcher in that stash, every bit of ammo and other equipment that was destroyed by Sapper Robinson and the rest of the patrol could very well mean that a coalition soldier or an Afghan national is not killed now and into the future. That is bravery, to lay down one's life for his friend, the friends in this case being his brothers in arms and our friends in Afghanistan who dream of a free and peaceful nation.

To lay down one's life for one's friend: there is no greater bravery or love than that. Sapper Robinson's service was recognised by the awarding of the Australian Active Service Medal with clasp, International Coalition Against Terrorism; the Afghanistan Campaign Medal; the Australian Defence Medal; and the NATO International Security Assistance Force Medal. He has also been awarded the Army Combat Badge and the Returned from Active Service Badge.

As civilians it is very difficult for us to understand the depth of mateship amongst those serving on the front line. Sapper Robinson died fighting with his mates in a mission that will save lives, earning the respect of fellow soldiers, officers and those here at home. Words alone cannot console, but I want to put on record my gratitude and respect for the life of Sapper Rowan Robinson and for his service to this country. I am sure that the entire electorate of Dawson joins with me in expressing sadness at the news of his passing.

Sapper Robinson is the 27th digger to die in combat in Afghanistan, and I take this moment to remember all of those who have fallen as well. Our thoughts and prayers are with Sapper Robinson's family at this time of grieving and also with all the families of our servicemen who have fallen in conflict in Afghanistan. I want to finish with St Ignatius' prayer. It reads:

Teach us, Good Lord, To Serve Thee as Thou deservest; To give and not to count the cost; To fight and not to heed the wounds; To toil and not to seek for rest; To labour and not to ask for any reward, save that of knowing that we do Thy will.

Sapper Robinson might not have known that prayer, but he gave, fought, toiled and laboured for us all and now he finds his rest and reward in the arms of the eternal Father while we here grieve for his wounds and the cost of his life for our nation.

Kelly O'Dwyer (Higgins, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would also like to rise to add my words to the most eloquent words of my colleague who spoke just before me. It is with great regret that I do rise to speak on this condolence motion. Regret, because it is a national tragedy when we lose one of our soldiers in the theatre of war.

On 23 May Australia mourned the loss of Sergeant Brett Wood, aged just 25, who was killed in southern Afghanistan by an improvised explosive device. As we were coming to terms with this recent loss we have since had three more deaths: Lieutenant Marcus Case, aged 27, who died in a helicopter crash; Lance Corporal Andrew Jones, aged 25, who was shot by a rogue Afghan soldier; and most recently on 6 June, there was the death of Sapper Rowan Robinson, aged just 23 years, who died during a raid on a weapons cache in Helmand province. These were young men who had so much to live for. These young men sacrificed their lives for Australia's cause in Afghanistan. It is our duty to accord them the highest honour.

The past few weeks have been particularly difficult for our troops in Afghanistan. The news of these deaths has shocked and distressed millions of Australians. As we come to terms with 27 operational deaths in Afghanistan, our thoughts are with the families, friends and fellow soldiers who daily bear the burden of their sacrifice. For them, there will be moments of overwhelming grief and a permanent feeling of emptiness. There is no way for us to comprehend what they are going through. This is the serious price we pay for our involvement in the fight for freedom and security, and we must never forget it.

It is perfectly natural that Australians should question our involvement in Afghanistan when they hear reports of Australian deaths. It is not only natural but important that we continue to view our involvement in Afghanistan with a critical mind. So long as our troops remain overseas there will be moments of great sadness in Australia and in this parliament. It is at times like these that we must look to the objectives of our primary mission to defeat terrorists. To do this we need to train Afghan security forces so that they can provide for their own security. Our mission is also to honour and protect the US alliance, which is in our national interest. Our national security is in our national interest.

While Australia is a young nation when compared to other nations around the world, we have been steadfast in our determination to protect freedom, tolerance and democracy, making the supreme sacrifice so that we might live in a world of peace and prosperity. Looking to our efforts in Afghanistan, we can be proud of what we have accomplished thus far. We have made it a safer country. We have given opportunity to thousands of men, women and children who lived in fear under the Taliban. Together with the local people, we have put in place governance, security and education structures to ensure that the country will not again be used as a breeding ground for international terrorism.

We should listen to our Defence Force chiefs, who know the situation on the ground and the improvements we are making across the country. More than anyone else, our leaders in the Defence Force wish to preserve the lives of our troops in combat. They know the situation that confronts our soldiers every day, and they know best how to respond. We should respect their judgment. We should listen to Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, who said:

Believe me, we need to stay the course, we are getting to the stage where we're seeing absolutely first-class results with the people we're mentoring.

We cannot deny the successes we have had in Afghanistan. Australia has played a key role in disrupting terrorist activities and breaking the stranglehold of the religious zealots who have kept the population of Afghanistan in fear for so long. We have helped rebuild a functional society where people have the ultimate say in who leads their country. We have helped put an end to much of the violence and suffering. It has been the efforts of soldiers like Brett Wood, Marcus Case, Andrew Jones and Rowan Robinson that have made Afghanistan a freer place for everyone, and particularly for women. We have forged an important friendship with the people of Afghanistan, who want to be a free people and need us there to help them build a free and democratic nation.

We should never forget what our soldiers have done to defend Australia and humanity abroad. We must bear in mind their great sacrifices and ensure that what they have fought to achieve is protected and fostered. The best way to do that is by growing the substantial gains we have already made in Afghanistan. We should bear in mind that our mission in Afghanistan is a noble one and will succeed if we stay the course. We should, though, be there only for as long as we need to be and not a minute more.

In this condolence motion today, we remember all of those men who have given their lives: Sergeant Andrew Russell, Trooper David Pearce, Sergeant Matthew Locke, Private Luke Worsley, Lance Corporal Jason Marks, Signaller Sean McCarthy, Lieutenant Michael Fussell, Private Gregory Sher, Corporal Mathew Hopkins, Sergeant Brett Till, Private Benjamin Ranaudo, Sapper Jacob Moerland, Sapper Darren Smith, Private Timothy Aplin, Private Scott Palmer, Private Benjamin Chuck, Private Nathan Bewes, Trooper Jason Brown, Private Tomas Dale, Private Grant Kirby, Lance Corporal Jared MacKinney, Corporal Richard Atkinson, Sapper Jamie Larcombe and, as I have said, before, Sergeant Brett Wood, Lance Corporal Andrew Jones, Lieutenant Marcus Case and Sapper Rowan Robinson. We honour their sacrifice and the ongoing sacrifice of their families. We will keep their memory alive.

Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I join with the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and all members who have spoken or will speak on this very important condolence motion. I rise, like all of them, to pay my respects to Sapper Rowan Robinson, another Australian hero who has given his life for his country at the tender age of 23. Sapper Robinson had been in the ADF for some five years, had two tours of duty to Afghanistan and had been awarded six decorations during that time.

We have now had 27 lives lost in Afghanistan; that is 27 too many. As a former Minister for Defence I have been very determined to ensure that I make a contribution on each of these condolence motions, and as I do so this evening I lament the fact that I find myself repeating myself, but I felt it necessary to do so, because the same things need to be said. Many of those things have been said in this chamber this evening. The first is that while I did not know Sapper Robinson—although I must say it is possible that I may have met him; if I did I just do not recall—I am sure that Sapper Robinson knew exactly what he was doing in committing himself to the ADF's operations in Afghanistan and that he fully understood the risks but was as keen as mustard to undertake the task. Likewise, having had the not-always-happy experience of meeting, mixing with and consoling families of fallen soldiers, I am very confident that Sapper Robinson's parents would also have been very supportive of his decision to serve his country in a very, very dangerous theatre of war. It is very tough for the families involved, but I always sense when I meet with them that they draw some comfort from the fact that the person they love so much and who is now no longer with them was doing what he loved and wanted to do and were supportive of that.

I will pick up on the theme of others. Afghanistan is very tough. The longer we are there and the more people we lose, the more difficult it will be for us to maintain support for our operations amongst the Australian people. Like many others, I appeal to people to hold their nerve. We are there for very important reasons. Afghanistan does go directly to the security and safety of Australians, both here on our mainland—on our continent—and as we travel around the globe.

As a former minister, I still have quite a deal of contact with many people who are heavily engaged in the mission—and indeed those on the ground in places like Tarin Kowt and Kandahar. They report to me that we are making very, very substantial progress there. In fact, one person said to me, 'If you come back to Tarin Kowt now you would be very, very pleased and very, very proud of what we have achieved.'

In addition to the excellent disruption work being done by our special forces, our infantry, engineers and others are helping to train the Afghan National Army, ANA, to a standard at which they will be capable of taking care of their own security. In addition to that, we are helping to train the Afghan National Police, and when they get to the required standard we will be able to come home safe in the knowledge that we have done our job. People often ask me: 'Can you win in Afghanistan?' My response always is: 'That depends on your definition of winning.' We will have won when we are satisfied that we leave Oruzgan province a better place, a safer place both within and as a consequence for Australians and, it goes without saying, when the Afghan National Security Forces are capable of taking care of their own security.

Of course, we are doing much more which is very important. We continue to build social and economic capacity and we continue to play a role in building governance in Oruzgan province. In coalition with others we still play a role in building governance across the country. We will not meet with success in Afghanistan by military means alone. It will be a combined effort between military effort, the efforts in governance, the efforts in capacity building and the efforts in training more broadly.

Afghanistan is a difficult place but it is a place where there is hope. It was interesting that this week US defence secretary Robert Gates confirmed that some negotiations had been taking place between coalition forces and the insurgents. I will say again what I have been saying for two years—and I say this for those who might be concerned about this: there is a big difference between negotiating with extremists and setting up dialogue with moderates. I think the latter can produce real results. Indeed, I think it is absolutely necessary. We cannot meet with ultimate success in Afghanistan without some form of political settlement. Afghanistan has to want to govern itself in a way we would expect them to, and the Afghan people have to have faith and trust in those who govern them. If we cannot achieve that, we will not meet with success. Again, I pay tribute to Sapper Rowan Robinson. He now will be recorded as a great Australian, a heroic Australian. The work of the sapper when out with special forces is of a kind we find difficult to fathom, wondering whether the next step will be your last. It is difficult for us to appreciate that. He was prepared to take those risks for those who were fighting alongside him, his mates. He was prepared to take those risks for the safety and security of his country and his fellow Australians. I extend my heartfelt sympathy to his family, his mum and dad, his mates, his friends and all who loved him.

Josh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is with great sadness I rise to speak this evening on this condolence motion following the death of Sapper Rowan Robinson. Sapper Robinson, 23, was tragically killed on 6 June in Afghanistan where he was serving with the Special Operations Task Group. He is the 27th Australian to lose his life in this difficult and distant conflict.

Steve Georganas (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I draw to the attention of the members that the Main Committee no longer has a quorum.

The bells having been rung—

Order! A quorum not being present, the sitting will be suspended until a quorum is present.

Sitting suspended from 17:46 to 17:51

The House having been counted and a quorum being present—

Josh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

( ) ( ): As I was saying before the quorum, Sapper Robinson, 23, was tragically killed on 6 June in Afghanistan, where he was serving with the Special Operations Task Group. He is the 27th Australian to lose his life in this difficult and distant conflict.

Sapper Robinson leaves behind his loving parents, Marie and Peter, sister Rachael and brothers Ben and Troy. In the words of his family:

He knew the risk of his job and accepted it. It’s harder for us to accept he has been taken from us before his time—but we know he died protecting his mates and doing a job that he loved, a job for which he was greatly respected by the people who served by his side.

Sapper Robinson joined the Army in 2006 and subsequently became a member of the 3rd Combat Engineers Regiment and later the Incident Response Regiment, based in Sydney. He was on his second deployment to Afghanistan, having been first deployed on Operation Slipper in 2007.

Over his short but full life, his father Peter said that his son had:

… his fair share of luck. He escaped the jaws of a shark while surfing at South Kingscliff Beach and walked away from a motor vehicle accident when he rolled his brother's car.

He had been run over by an armoured vehicle, and a soldier walking beside him once stood on a home-made bomb that did not detonate. But at his son's funeral Peter said:

… that luck ran out on a hilltop in southern Afghanistan.

In the words of his commanding officer at IRR:

He epitomised everything that a special operations engineer can be and should be—bravery, mateship and a willingness to risk one's life so that others may live; those were his qualities, and to a soldier, we aspire to them.

The Australian Chief of Army, Lieutenant-General Ken Gillespie, put it this way:

As a Sapper, he led from the front, looking for threats and disabling those devices to keep his mates safe.

The death of Sapper Robinson is a tragedy for our nation and a tragedy for his family. His contribution to this vitally important mission of bringing security and stability to Afghanistan is not in vain, nor will it be forgotten by a grateful nation. Lest we forget.

Ewen Jones (Herbert, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to pay my respects on the loss of Sapper Rowan Jai Robinson. Sapper Robinson was a member of the special operations Incident Response Regiment, whose job it was to clear the way for the Special Forces who come behind them. As many have noted, this is a very dangerous job requiring a high level of skill and the most courageous soldiers. Sapper Robinson fitted into this category perfectly. Sapper Robinson has been described by his officers as a motivated, dedicated and highly professional soldier who recognised the dangerous and important nature of his role and took it extremely seriously. His family have spoken about how proud he was to be an Incident Response Regiment engineer.

After joining the Army in 2006 Sapper Robinson was posted to Townsville, my home town, to be followed soon after by his family as they sought to be closer to their children. As the home of Australia's largest defence base the people of Townsville feel the pain of his death acutely. I offer my sympathies to Sapper Robinson's family, friends and mates, particularly those with whom he served and who are still based at Lavarack Barracks. The community of Townsville is standing right beside you at this difficult time.

It was in protecting his mates through providing cover fire in overwatch that Sapper Robinson was killed. You sometimes think about how you would react if you were put into a situation like that. It is only when you are actually faced with situations like that that you find out whether you have the bravery or not. The Army does a lot of training so that it becomes muscle memory and they train over and over and over again. They take their training very, very seriously because if they get it wrong people die. In some cases even when they get it right people die.

Sapper Robinson showed great courage. He was killed in crossfire but he was able to show the grit in his teeth and the steel in his spine that truly makes our soldiers and the men and women of our ADF the best defence force in the world. Earlier in the day he had been part of a team that removed the largest cache of weapons, ammunition, drugs and bomb components found in Afghanistan this year. The significance of this and the wider role played by Sapper Robinson cannot be overstated. What he did was to take those weapons out of circulation so that they could never be used against anybody else. Sapper Robinson played a crucial role in contributing to a crucial war.

Thanks to our soldiers, the Afghanistan of today is unrecognisable compared to the Afghanistan that we first entered. That country, under the power of the Taliban, had no regard for justice, no regard for basic human rights and no regard for the lives of its people. The Taliban regime openly supported and fostered terrorism, and reports of atrocities committed against Afghanis by their own government quickly became common knowledge. The Taliban's values could not have been further removed from those we are fortunate enough to enjoy here in Australia and in other Western countries, and they targeted us for that.

Afghanistan has come a long way thanks to soldiers like Sapper Robinson, but the journey is far from over. We watch as our death toll from this deployment rises to 27. We must not forget what we are fighting for and how important it is. Afghanistan must become a democratic country where all its citizens are treated equally regardless of their age, sex, religion or ethnicity. Sapper Robinson was a brave soldier who played a role in Afghanistan that has not gone unnoticed, and he will never be forgotten. As I offer my deepest condolences to the Robinson family, I join the chorus of voices which reflect on the bravery and courage of a young soldier who has made the ultimate sacrifice for his country and for the international community, and with the promise that he did not die in vain.

Sapper Robinson's parents live in Townsville and when I called at his mum and dad's house the front step was covered with flowers. They were not home and it looked like they had already left for northern New South Wales in readiness for the funeral. I left a card to say that whatever they wanted they should call me. Those of us who are parents will mourn with Sapper Robinson's parents. Surely having to bury a child of your own is the hardest thing one must ever have to do. I pray that we do not have to do it. Our hearts go out to Sapper Rowan Robinson's parents and family. Our thoughts are with you. You are not alone. I honour the bravery of this young man and soldier. May he rest in peace. Lest we forget.

Craig Kelly (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to add my voice to those who have spoken before me in offering my condolence to the family, friends and colleagues of Sapper Rowan Jaie Robinson. The life of Sapper Robinson has been cut down all too soon. At the age of just 23, Sapper Robinson had achieved much more than many others of such a young age, and it is noted that his skill belied his youth. He joined the Army in 2006 and after his initial recruit training joined the 3rd Third Combat Engineer Regiment. Sapper Robinson was on his second deployment to Afghanistan, after also having diligently served under Operation Slipper in 2007-08.

The sapper's role is truly an important one—and, as often coincides with such importance, it is also a dangerous one. The combat engineers lead from the front, protecting their colleagues from the dangers they are to walk into. It takes a truly brave individual to serve in this role, and Sapper Robinson was one of those special individuals, possessing the required characteristics of courage, leadership and, above all, mateship. As his commanding officer said of Sapper Robinson:

Whether it was clearing a path potentially littered with IEDs, fighting for his mates or providing overwatch, no task was too great and no request to help was ever unanswered.

He went on to say:

Rowan was a man who was as selfless as he was courageous.

The loss of Sapper Robinson, following that of Sergeant Brett Wood and Lieutenant Marcus Case, has had a deep impact on the Holsworthy community. Each time news breaks of the loss of a soldier serving overseas, our community turns inwards, asking whether the soldier lost was 'one of ours'. Ultimately, the answer to this question is yes—for even when the soldier in question has not been stationed at Holsworthy, he is Australian and we feel the same deep sense of loss.

Coincidentally today, parliament had a group visiting from the Holsworthy Public School, a school heavily populated with the children of service personnel based out at the local Holsworthy Barracks, including friends and colleagues of these three brave young men. The principal, teachers and students feel this loss, alongside our broader community and the nation as a whole, and this was evident today.

Living in our nation, we sometimes take for granted the freedom, democracy and opportunity that we all enjoy. But we must be ever vigilant to protect these sacred principles. Sapper Robinson certainly did not take these principles for granted, and his actions showed this. Our nation and those that cherish these sacred principles will forever be indebted to Sapper Rowan Jaie Robinson.

In closing, I would like to express my personal and deep sympathies to Sapper Robinson's family, whom he loved so much, in this time of such great loss. To his parents, Marie and Peter, to his brothers, Ben and Troy, and to his sister Rachael: my thoughts are with you.

Warren Snowdon (Lingiari, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence Science and Personnel) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I acknowledge those who have spoken on this condolence motion for Sapper Rowan Jaie Robinson. Firstly, let me offer my deepest sympathies on the death of Sapper Rowan Robinson and express my condolences to his parents, Peter and Marie, and his siblings, Rachael, Troy and Ben.

Sapper Robinson was described as a soldier whose luck had run out on a dusty Afghan hilltop. Rowan was a dedicated and professional soldier whose skill belied his youth. He was born in Wahroonga, New South Wales, in 1987. He joined the Army in 2006 and after his initial recruit training joined the 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment. After four years of service he was posted to the Incident Response Regiment at the start of 2010 where he completed his reinforcement cycle.

Sapper Rowan Robinson was serving with the Special Operations Task Group when he was tragically killed in action on Monday, 6 June 2011. This was his second deployment to Afghanistan, having first deployed in Operation Slipper in 2007. His colleagues described him as a superb young man who was fit, happy-go-lucky and a great team member. I am told that those who had the pleasure of meeting him instantly warmed to him, and his easygoing nature made him popular with his peers and chain of command. Sapper Robinson was awarded the Australian Active Service Medal with Clasp International Coalition Against Terrorism (ICAT), the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Australian Defence Medal and the NATO ISAF Medal. He has also been awarded the Army Combat Badge and the Return from Active Service Badge.

At his funeral service on Friday, 17 June, in Kingscliff, a colleague from Sapper Robinson's regiment said the fallen soldier had made the choice to put his comrades' safety above his own:

"You could have sat back and considered your job done when the position was cleared and yet you pushed up, right to the front line … I strongly doubt there was ever a better example of a combat engineer and a brother in arms."

His father, Peter, told of Sapper Robinson's luck running out on that dusty hill in Afghanistan and how in his youth Sapper Robinson had escaped the jaws of a shark while surfing and walked away from a car accident where he rolled his brother's car. He had been run over in training by an armoured vehicle, and in another incident he had survived an improvised explosive device which failed to detonate after a colleague who was right beside him trod on the device.

Too often now we stand here and have motions of condolence for brave soldiers like Sapper Robinson. As an Australian community, we can only wonder and marvel at the courage and bravery of these young men who lay their lives down for Australia. On behalf of the Australian government, I offer my support to Sapper Robinson's family and friends through this very difficult time and assure them that the sacrifice of this outstanding young Australian soldier will be remembered. They should know that Australia is proud of his courage, his selflessness, his service and the ultimate sacrifice that he has made. He will surely be sorely missed.

It behoves us to understand the nature of armed conflict but more importantly, from my point of view, to understand that anyone who puts an Australian uniform on to work for the Australian Defence Force is a special person. Those special people go where others will not go; they do what others will not do; and ultimately they are prepared to lay down their lives for this great nation of ours, as Sapper Robinson has done. May he rest in peace. Lest we forget.

Maria Vamvakinou (Calwell, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I understand it is the wish of honourable members to signify at this stage their respect and sympathy by rising in their places.

Honourable members having stood in their places—

I thank the Committee.

Laura Smyth (La Trobe, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That further proceedings be conducted in the House.

Question agreed to.

Main Committee adjourned at 18:0 9