Tony Crook (O'Connor, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was saddened to hear the terrible news that another Australian soldier had been killed in action in Afghanistan this year. Sergeant Todd Langley, a member of the Special Operations Task Group, was shot and killed in a firefight last Monday, 4 July. Sergeant Langley leaves behind a wife, Reigan, four children and his parents, Neville and Val. My great sympathies go out to Sergeant Langley's family. By all accounts Sergeant Langley represented the best in all of us. He was a true Anzac digger—loyal, hardworking and well respected. He was a leader and a larrikin. Sergeant Langley was on his seventh tour of duty. He was not just a soldier but also a family man, and I can only imagine what his family must be going through today.

Sergeant Langley was born at Margaret River and raised in Katanning and Broomehill in my electorate of O'Connor. He attended Katanning Senior High School, and I understand his family still lives in the area. I know the Great Southern community will rally around the Langley family and support them in their time of need. The Great Southern region of WA has a very rich Anzac heritage, a heritage that lives on today in our Australian troops overseas. The Great Southern city of Albany was the gathering place of ships carrying Australian and New Zealand soldiers to war. For many of our diggers, Albany was the last place they ever stepped on Australian soil.

Sergeant Langley exemplified the Anzac spirit. He was a man of honour who served his nation well with distinction and courage. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends and colleagues, and he will be greatly missed by all of us here today. Sergeant Langley has the gratitude of this parliament and this nation.

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

When our service men and women leave this country to serve overseas, we know in our hearts that it comes with an element of risk. They and their families know that more than anyone. Unfortunately, that knowledge does little to ease the pain or reduce the shock when the terrible news comes that one of our soldiers has fallen. All of Australia is mourning the loss of our 28th digger in Afghanistan—Sydney based commando Sergeant Todd Langley, aged 35, who was ambushed and shot by insurgents on Monday. He was killed in action, a soldier's death, the loss of one of our best, the bravest of the brave. He laid down his life for his friends and there can be no greater love than that. Sergeant Langley, who was born and raised in Western Australia, has been described as an exemplary warrior and a brave commando. Within 10 minutes, a second commando was badly wounded just a kilometre away from Sergeant Langley. Our prayers and thoughts are also with him and his family.

Sergeant Langley had twice been awarded a commendation for distinguished service. He was a true leader who always brought out the best in those around him. He knew more than most about the risks, as it was his fifth tour of duty in Afghanistan. He was a brave and professional soldier who never took a backward step. Despite their grief, his comrades said he has left behind a legacy and they will continue to aspire to be the soldier he knew they could be. Described as a devoted soldier and family man, Sergeant Langley has a brother, who is a corporal in the Australian Defence Force. He also leaves behind a widow and four children, who will now have to grow up without their father.

In this sad time, however, it is imperative that we not walk away from our mission in Afghanistan, which is in our national interest, because this would be an injustice to the 27 Australians before Sergeant Langley who have also laid down their lives for their friends. There must be no safe haven for terrorists. There must be no cradle for terrorism. We must continue to fight the good fight with our coalition partners and other allies. We must stay the course. We must continue to do our duty, to serve, to play our part. In the words of Defence Chief General David Hurley:

... they are fathers, husbands, sons, brothers and mates. They are soldiers and Australians will not forget their selfless sacrifice.

Lest we forget.

Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is with solemnity that I rise today to speak on this condolence motion to offer my sincere condolences to the family, friends and comrades in the Defence Force, particularly the Special Operations Unit, of Sergeant Todd Langley. I also offer the condolences of the people of Canberra, a group of people who are familiar with those who serve their country. We are home to a number of defence facilities and bases, as well as the Australian Defence Force Academy and the Royal Military College. Every year we welcome young Australians from across the country who have chosen to serve. We welcome them with open arms as one of us. They make our community a better place, just like they make Australia a better place.

I do not know if Sergeant Todd Langley ever came to Canberra and I never met him but, from the reports of those who served with him, he was a man who constituted the very best of what it is to be a soldier in the Australian Army and the very best of what it means to be an Australian. Sergeant Langley was described by his comrades, his brothers, as a true leader who brought the best out of his team.

Sergeant Todd Langley was killed in action while serving his country in Afghanistan. He was an exceptionally skilled soldier and was on his fifth tour of Afghanistan, doing vital work to bring security and stability to that country and fighting terrorism. He had previously worked with great honour and great skill in East Timor, helping to bring security and safety there as well.

The commandos are a close group of army soldiers. This loss will have hit them hard. I was fortunate to meet soldiers like Sergeant Langley when I was recently in Afghanistan. I was there for five days in Tarin Kowt, Kandahar and Kabul as part of the Defence subcommittee tour. Then I was overwhelmed by the gritty and determined Australians who are focused each day on stamping out terrorism and building a safe Afghanistan.

There can be no words to lessen the grief of his family, his friends and his comrades. All I can do is offer my thanks and gratitude for the work of Sergeant Langley and to assure his family that his service and his life mattered and will not be forgotten. I thank him and will remember him. Sergeant Langley's honour, courage and experience have made a difference to the lives of the Afghan people. He has made a difference to his team through his leadership and he has made a difference to Australia by being one of those Australians who put themselves on the line to protect the nation. As I said, I have seen firsthand the efforts of the contribution that our soldiers are making in Afghanistan and I know the Afghan people appreciate it.

I also want to take this opportunity to honour the lives and sacrifice of Lieutenant Marcus Case, Lance Corporal Andrew Jones and Sapper Rowan Robinson, who were also recently killed in Afghanistan. Lieutenant Marcus Case was from the Sydney 6th Aviation Regiment. He was born in Melbourne. He had quite an extensive career as a commando. He served in a range of missions. He was described as a keen and motivated soldier who excelled as a pilot. He lived life to the fullest, taking every opportunity that was given to him and making the most of it. He was always the go-to man who was able to get the job done. My condolences are with his family, friends and comrades. I also wish to honour Lance Corporal Andrew Jones, who was also killed recently in Afghanistan. Andrew was described as a 'dependable, yet cheeky character who we will be missed with all our hearts'. He enjoyed his role in the Army and was an excellent soldier. His mates will miss him. They will miss his professionalism but, most of all, his sense of humour. His dedication to his role as a cook was second to none. I understand he was always calling on his resources to provide the very best meals for his mates—and, I imagine, that was a bit of a challenge—including using his favourite family recipes.

Finally, I would also like to acknowledge and send my condolences to the family, friends and comrades of Sapper Rowan Robinson, who also recently died in Afghanistan. Again, it is another tragedy for this nation. He was described as a superb young man whose easy-going nature made him very popular with his unit. He was also a great team player, which is very important in that environment. He was dedicated and professional, with a range of skills and qualifications that were more than those that could rightly be expected of someone so young. These men also made the ultimate sacrifice for their country and I am equally moved by their deaths.

My trip to Afghanistan put into sharp focus the work that they do and the work that other men and women do who serve there. It left an indelible impression on me. As I observed, life in Afghanistan for our service men and women is difficult and challenging. We were on the edge of summer and the temperature was about 42 degrees then. The heat and dust are incredibly challenging and, when you couple that with the incredibly cold, freezing winters, it is a pretty bitter environment. As I said, it is hot, dusty and uncomfortable, but our service men and women endure these conditions with great tenacity and, as usual, great Aussie humour. They get on with it, as all Australian soldiers do. And, as only Australians can do, they do it with a strong sense of commitment, vision and purpose. They are very clear on why they are there.

I conclude by, once again, offering my thanks and condolences to the families of those who have died and, most recently, to Sergeant Langley's family. They are perhaps feeble words, but I offer them on behalf of all the people of Canberra with all sincerity and gratitude.

Luke Simpkins (Cowan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

War will always remain a very serious business. When the circumstances are such that government orders our soldiers to load live ammunition into their magazines and be deployed to areas of conflict around the world, then the reality is that people will die.

A division having been called in the House of Representatives—

Sitting suspended from 10:13 to 10:33

We hope that the training and preparations that our commanders and soldiers undertake will put them in the best possible position to keep themselves alive and inflict upon our opponents death, where necessary; defeat, on all occasions; and the loss of territory and materiel, where that is part of the mission.

A division having been called in the House of Representatives—

Sitting suspended from 10 : 33 to 11:09

We hope that the training and preparation that our commanders and soldiers undertake will put them in the best possible position to keep themselves alive, to inflict upon our opponents defeat, the loss of territory, the loss of materiel and, if necessary, death. Our opponents have a similar approach but they certainly do not operate with any sense of honour, integrity or respect for human life. That is very much the hallmark of the Taliban and al-Qaeda in their operations in not only Afghanistan but also Pakistan. Today I pay tribute to Sergeant Todd Langley. I extend my condolences to his wife, Reigan, his four young children and his parents, Val and Neville. It has been reported what a great guy Sergeant Langley was. His parents made comment on that. His parents made comment on what a devoted father he was. All of us who are parents—and I think we are all parents in this room—always feel that sense of sadness when we are away from our children. We enjoy the games we play, particularly when our children are younger. But it goes to the uniqueness of service in the Australian defence forces that this parliament asks our soldiers to leave their families for extended periods of time, months at a time in most cases. Particularly in this current period of conflicts, there is a need for our soldiers to be deployed in various places around the world, and that is hard for those families, and for the children most of all. As his parents, Val and Neville, said, it is hard for the little kids—their dad was away for a number of deployments. It is most tragic of all, of course, that he will never return to them.

When we look at the supreme sacrifice that Sergeant Langley made for his country and to our national interest—and the 27 other soldiers and officers who have passed before him in Afghanistan—we should remind ourselves that there is a good cause here and it is a good cause that has been worth fighting for. We can never allow terrorism and the instability that the Taliban and people like al-Qaeda offer the world. We can never allow them to maintain areas in the world where they are secure, where they can train and practise their deadly and despicable crimes. We can never allow them the freedom to operate with impunity in any place in the world. We must be prepared to go after them, to attack those home bases.

One of the principles of opposing terrorism is to attack the home bases of these people, so that they will always be under pressure, so they will always feel that they are under surveillance, that someone is coming to get them. That is what is important, that we are prepared to do what needs to be done. But, when we see the cost of that, when we see that 28 soldiers have given their lives for this cause, this very good cause, and that their families have suffered and will continue to suffer for the future, it bears testament to the responsibility that we have in this place to do none of this lightly, to identify: is this the right way forward? I commit to that. I believe it is the right way forward. This parliament is committed, in the majority, that this is the right way forward. We must maintain pressure in Afghanistan. We must maintain our presence and fight to the end that has been decided. But our decision comes at a cost: people will die; people have died; families have suffered. That is a tragedy and we should never lose sight of that.

Our mission remains the opposing of terrorism, the opposing of extremists and the need to create in Afghanistan an increasingly stable democracy, a society where there is social advancement and a society where people can seek the opportunities of the future. That will not be the case if we are defeated or if we pull back from the course or go soft on these people. We can expect, if we do not have the commitment and the resolve to carry on, that the terrorists—the Taliban and their mates al-Qaeda—will once again assume control over that country, that they will once again have a safe base from which they can train for their terrorist acts and export them around the world. They will continue to oppress their people. Women will be treated like second-class citizens. Girls will not be allowed to go to school. Boys will be under increasing pressure to be extreme in their views and in their religion. That is not something that we want in the world.

We must be prepared to do what has to be done, but it comes at a cost and it will always come at a cost. On this occasion, Sergeant Langley has given his life. I pay tribute to him. I offer my condolences to his family. We will never forget him. We will never forget his family. On behalf of all members here, I wish his family all the best for the future. We hope that they can move on with their lives as well as possible. On behalf of a grateful nation, and from my own perspective, I pay tribute to all that he has done for our great country and the terrible sacrifice that his family has accepted in our national interest.

Jason Clare (Blaxland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence Materiel) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Sergeant Todd Langley was a highly experienced Special Forces soldier. This was his fifth tour of Afghanistan. He also deployed twice to East Timor. He was also a decorated soldier. In 2002 and 2008 he was awarded a Commendation for Distinguished Service. In 2006 he was also awarded a Unit Citation for Gallantry. In Afghanistan, he was a leader of very special men, the men of the Special Operations Task Group. At home, he was a father of four even more special people—three young daughters and a son. I want to extend my sincere condolences to each of them, to his wife, Reigan, and to his mum and dad, Val and Neville. Nothing that we say here can bring back a father, a husband and a son. But we can say thank you. Thank you for devoting your adult life to serving us. Thank you for doing everything you could to make this world safer than it is. Thank you for, time and again, going back to Afghanistan to do this.

On Monday, another Special Forces soldier was also wounded. I take this opportunity to wish him a swift and strong recovery. He is one of 182 soldiers who have been wounded in Afghanistan since 2002. This is a long and difficult war. Much of its burden has been borne by the men of our Special Forces. It has also been borne by the families of the men and women we send overseas. They are as strong and brave as the men and women they love, and they often bear the heaviest burden—none more so than the family of Sergeant Todd Langley. We are forever in debt to him, as we are to the more than 100,000 Australians who have lost their lives serving this country over more than a century, all around the world. Lest we forget.

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

I too rise to speak on this condolence motion, a very sad motion that recognises the sacrifice that has been made by Sergeant Todd Langley. Sergeant Todd Langley died in battle. He was serving with the 2nd Commando Regiment, a very special regiment that works on behalf of all Australians to keep us safe. He was a highly decorated soldier who was on his fifth tour of Afghanistan, which demonstrates a very significant commitment to our country. He also served us in East Timor on two tours. He joins a total of 28 men who have sacrificed their lives in Afghanistan. As a member of this parliament, I express our heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to him for the service he has given our country. I would also like to express our condolences and thanks to his family. As we have just heard from the minister, he was the father of four children, the husband of a wife and, as well, the son of two parents who cared very deeply for him. So we express our thoughts and prayers towards them for the sacrifice that they too have made. Lest we forget. Finally, while speaking here today I would like to recognise the work that is done by all of those men and women in our Australian defence forces who put their lives at risk every day for us. We thank them.

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

I join with the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, the Minister for Defence and all those members who have made a contribution to this important condolence motion in honour of Sergeant Todd Langley. Another great Australian has given his life in Afghanistan for his country. Indeed, Sergeant Langley is the 28th Australian to do so—and that is 28 too many. We mourn his loss and today we are here to express our sympathy to his family, his wife and his children and to his broader family and, of course, to his comrades in the Australian Defence Force. It is really very difficult to comprehend the idea that one might do five tours as a special forces soldier in Afghanistan. It is a challenging place—hot, dusty, certainly with none of the comforts of home. It is difficult to comprehend what goes through the mind each time they go out through the front gate of Camp Holland into theatre with very little knowledge of what might come next and indeed not knowing whether they might return. I know they do not dwell on that very much, but you wonder what goes through the mind of a special forces soldier on a fifth deployment. Goodness knows how many times Sergeant Langley had gone out through that front gate. As typical of a sergeant, Sergeant Langley was 35 years old. Special forces soldiers tend to be a little bit older than many of our infantrymen. It is fairly obvious why: they are mature and very experienced soldiers. They are our best, our finest. So I take the opportunity to pay tribute to all of them.

I am never sure whether to say this, because it is a strange thing in some ways to say, but I do take some comfort from the fact that Sergeant Langley lost his life in a firefight, rather than at the hands of those who are creating, constructing and manufacturing improvised explosive devices in Afghanistan. There is something most critically unfair about the indiscriminate use of IEDs. As strange as it is to say, I know that Sergeant Langley was engaging in something that he knew well—and there is something fair about a firefight; at least it is fairer than an IED, given the way that they are used in Afghanistan. He leaves us a hero who lost, and gave, his life in combat.

He and his fellow members of the ADF are doing very important work in Afghanistan. It is work we must continue to do. It is work that goes right to the interests of Australia and Australians. It is work that goes to the safety and security of Australians, whether they be travelling the globe or here on their own soil. We cannot allow Afghanistan to once again descend into a breeding ground and a launching pad for those prepared to perpetuate their acts of terror on innocent people around the globe. That is why we are there. That is why we must continue to be there. We do have an exit strategy, of course. When we train the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police to a level at which they are capable of taking care of their own security, then our people can come home. In the meantime, the training will continue. Special Forces will continue to disrupt the Taliban leadership and those who work under them, and that is obviously critically important work.

Sergeant Langley was a volunteer. I am not sure that I knew him, but I do know that he would have been more than willing to deploy for that fifth time. I know that he would have been fully committed and would have absolutely believed in what he was doing and what we were seeking to achieve. I am also confident, without knowing his family, that he would have had their full support in his determination to continue to do what he was doing. That, of course, does not make it any easier for them. I am sure they are going through the most horrendous time, a period impossible for us to comprehend. Today, I hope we help in a small way by paying tribute to Sergeant Langley and what he did for his country over a long period of time, with two tours in East Timor in addition to his commitment to Afghanistan. Our thoughts are with his family, and we thank them again for the great sacrifice he made and for the great sacrifice they have made in allowing him to do what he felt he needed to do and what he wanted to do in Afghanistan for his country.

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

I rise on this motion of condolence to offer the deep sympathy and commiserations of our community to the family of Sergeant Todd Langley. As an experienced soldier, serving seven tours of deployment in East Timor and Afghanistan, Sergeant Langley was a colleague his mates looked up to. They described him as a true leader and as someone who will continue to inspire them as they continue to stand up and perform their work in spite of the grief they feel following the loss of their mate.

For the past seven years, Sergeant Langley was based out of Holsworthy with the 2nd Commando Regiment, formerly 4RAR, who are leading Australia's way in Afghanistan. They are the best of the best, and Sergeant Langley was an inspiration among the team. Beyond their positioning in the military, this famous unit has been and remains something that the people of Hughes have a lot of pride in. We, as the community that hosts the unit and the Holsworthy Barracks, take pride in living among these brave soldiers based at Holsworthy and recognise the contribution they make overseas, on the nation's behalf, and the contribution they make to our community back home. Sergeant Langley was no exception. My thoughts, and those of our community, are with his wife and his family at this most difficult time.

Sergeant Langley was someone who made a difference in life. Both the Minister for Defence and the shadow minister today listed the progress being made in Afghanistan, including polio vaccinations, school construction and economic development. But perhaps the greatest achievement of men like Sergeant Langley is the million Afghan children, especially girls, who are now receiving an education thanks to their efforts.

Sergeant Langley was just 35. He was also a husband and a father to three school-age daughters and an infant son. These children can grow up with the knowledge that their father was a true-life hero; someone who served his nation and someone to whom this nation will always owe a debt of gratitude that we will never, ever be fully able to repay. In saying that, we in this parliament have an ongoing obligation to ensure that his family and his children grow up with all the benefits that our society can afford them. That is our obligation and the debt we owe. Lest we forget.

Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise, sadly, to support the remarks of the Prime Minister regarding the tragic loss of Sergeant Todd Langley in Afghanistan earlier this week, and I commend the contribution of the other speakers as well, including the Leader of the Opposition. Sergeant Langley died on the battlefield in southern Afghanistan serving with the Special Operations Task Group and an Afghan National Security Forces team. The group were engaged by insurgents and, in the ensuing battle, Sergeant Langley was fatally shot.

I heard Defence Force chief General David Hurley, in what must surely be a very tough start to a new job, describe Sergeant Langley as:

A devoted family man … an exemplary warrior, a true leader who always brought out the best in those around him.

He was a brave and professional soldier who never took a backwards step …

Those were exactly the circumstances when Sergeant Langley's life was taken. The 35-year-old soldier was a very experienced member of the ADF, he was on his fifth deployment to Afghanistan and he had also undertaken two deployments to East Timor—so seven tours of duty. This is a particularly brave Australian that we are talking about. Sergeant Langley was awarded two Commendations for Distinguished Service and a Unit Citation for Gallantry. Is it any wonder that he was, is and always will be such an inspiration to his fellow soldiers—in fact, to all of us, I would suggest?

Sadly, Sergeant Langley is Australia's 28th fatality in Afghanistan and the seventh this year alone. Too often we have been standing here commemorating those that have lost their lives. We also need to recall the 180 soldiers who have also been wounded in Afghanistan, some quite horribly, with devastating consequences for the rest of their lives. We all share the burden and grief for every father, son and husband killed in the service of this great nation. Over 100,000 Australians have made this sacrifice since Federation. Sergeant Langley, sadly, paid the ultimate price for carrying out Australia's important mission in Afghanistan, which is to prevent that country from becoming a safe haven for terrorists. We all know how the Taliban and al-Qaeda thrive in such conditions, so this mission that Sergeant Langley lost his life in the service of saves lives. We know this, whether we go and stand in New York at Ground Zero, go to Mumbai, go to Bali or go to the other parts of the world where terror has been allowed to breed. We know that Sergeant Langley paid the ultimate price saving Australian lives. The Labor government and the opposition remain committed to this objective, and we also support the strong determination of the international community to transition to an Afghan-led security environment during 2014. So there is a plan to carry out the task that Sergeant Langley has been doing, and Australia remains in Afghanistan, with 47 other countries, to carry out our United Nations mandated mission.

I know that these are mere words and they will not bring back a father or a husband. I especially acknowledge how tough it must be for Sergeant Langley's grieving daughters and son, and I hope that these words in the years to come will be some comfort. But they are mere words. For the 27 soldiers who have lost their lives before in Afghanistan, and even the 100,000 before Afghanistan, we know that they are mere words. I am reminded of that poem by Wilfred Owen—'Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.' I know they are only words, but it is better to say something in these circumstances. So I hope that the Margaret River community, where Sergeant Langley came from, and his parents, Val and Neville, take some comfort from the fact that we acknowledge and are proud of the sacrifice that Sergeant Langley has made. I extend my deepest sympathy to the entire family of Sergeant Langley; all of his friends and comrades still in the military; and those that have recently left. I thank them all for the sacrifices that they have made to Australia's security. Lest we forget.

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

It is with great sadness that I rise to speak on the condolence motion following the tragic death of Sergeant Todd Matthew Langley during an operation in Afghanistan on 4 July 2011. Sergeant Langley is the 28th Australian to die in this very difficult and distant Afghanistan conflict. Sergeant Langley was a decorated soldier and commando. He was a member of the Special Operations Task Group that was formerly the 2nd Commando Regiment, formerly 4th Battalion, RAR. He is the eighth member of his unit to be killed in Afghanistan. He had been deployed to Afghanistan five times in the last six years and deployed to East Timor twice. He was awarded two commendations for distinguished service, firstly in 2002 and then in 2008, and he was awarded a unit citation for gallantry in 2006.

Sergeant Langley was described by the Chief of the Defence Force, General David Hurley, as a brave and professional soldier who never took a backward step. Despite their grief his comrades say he will continue to inspire them. So said General David Hurley. Sergeant Langley leaves behind his wife, Reigan; his parents, Val and Neville; and three beautiful girls and a young son. In the words of his family: 'Todd was an all-round great guy. He had a competitive streak when playing board games and a fascination with world affairs. The children are so proud of their daddy and the work that he did. They knew their daddy was a soldier and would miss him terribly each time he went away, but they and the rest of the family were always so proud of him at the same time.'

Sergeant Langley's family can rest assured that a grateful nation is also very proud of him and is grateful for the service that he and his comrades have given in this difficult conflict in Afghanistan. I have had the opportunity to go to Afghanistan and see firsthand the important work that our men and women in uniform are doing and they are making a difference to ensure that, once again, Afghanistan, does not become a safe haven for terrorists.

On this sad day I join with colleagues on both sides of the chamber to pay my respects to a brave and distinguished Australian, a brave and distinguished soldier, and to his family and to say we will always be there with you. Lest we forget.

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

I would like to offer my sympathies at the death of Sergeant Todd Langley and of course extend my condolences to his wife, Reigan; his parents, Val and Neville; his three daughters and his son; his friends; and, of course, importantly, those who will not be hearing this message because they are in Afghanistan, namely his comrades. Clearly, Sergeant Langley among so many is survived by a loving family. He was a beloved son, husband, father, brother, uncle, son-in-law and brother-in-law, who will always be in the hearts of his family. Nothing we can say in this place or anywhere can fill the gap that is now there permanently.

Sergeant Langley was born in Margaret River, a lovely part of Western Australia, in 1976 and grew up in the towns of Katanning and Broomehill. He enlisted in the Army on 18 April 1993 and transferred to the Regular Army on 14 September 1994 and was posted to 1RAR. On completion of the commando selection and training course in 2004 he was posted to the 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (Commandos), now the 2nd Commando Regiment. He was a highly experienced, decorated, 35-year-old commando section commander, normally based at the 2nd Commando Regiment, Holsworthy Barracks. Of course, as we know he was serving with the Special Operations Task Group in Afghanistan. We know that Sergeant Langley was killed in action during a small arms engagement with insurgents in southern Afghanistan, on 4 July 2011, during one of the several engagements between partnered Afghan National Police and Special Operations Task Group patrolling insurgents. Another Special Operations Task Group commander was seriously wounded in action earlier, in a separate engagement, and was evacuated from the field for medical treatment. I wish him a speedy recovery.

We know that this was Sergeant Langley's fifth tour of duty in Afghanistan, having previously served with the Special Operations Task Group in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. He also served in East Timor in 2000 and 2001, and again in 2003. He was awarded the Commendation for Distinguished Service in 2002 and 2008. All in all, Sergeant Langley devoted to us, the Australian people, 2½ years of service overseas, much of it beyond the wire, fighting a deadly enemy.

The Chief of the Defence Force, General David Hurley, said that the commando section commander was leading his team in the thick of battle when he was killed in action. He said:

Sergeant Langley was a brave and professional soldier, who never took a backward step. Despite their grief, his comrades say he will continue to inspire them.

He was an exemplary warrior, as we know—a true leader who always brought out the best in those around him. He was awarded the following honours and awards: the Commendation for Distinguished Service 2002 and 2008; the Australian Active Service Medal with clasp East Timor, clasp ICAT; the Afghanistan Campaign Medal; the Defence Long Service Medal; the Australian Defence medal; the United Nations Medal UNTAET; the NATO Non Article 5 Medal with clasp ISAF; the Infantry Combat Badge; and the Unit Citation for Gallantry.

Sergeant Langley is the 28th Australian soldier to have been killed since Australia commenced Operation Slipper in Afghanistan in late 2001. Seven Australian soldiers have been killed in action this year. Fifteen members of the special forces have been killed in Afghanistan since the ADF commenced Operation Slipper. One hundred and eighty-two soldiers have been wounded since 2001. Thus far, 17 soldiers have been wounded this year. We cannot anticipate what may happen in the future, but what we know in this place is that these brave men and women put on the Australian uniform knowing they will put themselves in harm's way. They are different from the rest of us. They show the courage and heart that is required to defend us and fight for us. They do it without question. We are a volunteer army; a volunteer defence force. When these people sign up to serve this country, they know they may have to pay the ultimate sacrifice. Here we had a brave soldier, a father with four young children, paying the ultimate sacrifice.

I am not sure that the community comprehends all of this. It is, after all, a foreign land. This engagement is in a foreign place. But we need to assure the people who are doing the fighting that they have our total and unqualified support in the work they do. We have to assure them and continue to assure them, as we are doing, that there is no difference across this parliament about the support for Australian Defence Force people who are wearing our uniform overseas and are fighting on our behalf. They know, and they need to continue to know, that they have our total and unqualified support. Theirs is a difficult task. We, members of parliament, the executive government, determine what they do. They operate under instruction from government, representing the Australian people, so we bear a special responsibility when we hear of the death of an Australian serving man or woman in conflict as a result of us placing them there. This responsibility is with us and we need to understand how grave that responsibility is every day we are here, because whilst we are here people are fighting for us in Afghanistan. They are putting themselves in danger. When they put themselves in danger, they do it because we have requested them to do it for us, so we need to pay them the respect that is properly their due. We need to assure them that they need not worry about their families. They need to be assured that whilst they are there, whilst they are in uniform, we will be looking after them and that, should sad events such as this occur, their families will be cared for into the future. That is the very least we can do to share our obligation as members of the Australian community and, most importantly, as members of this parliament. Ultimately, whether we are in opposition or government, we share the responsibility for sending them there in the first instance. It is a special responsibility we have and it is one which we need to comprehend.

I say to the Australian community that, whilst there may be some sceptics about the mission in Afghanistan, people should understand that, whatever their views about the mission, the people who are carrying it out are carrying it out because we have requested they do it. People should not brook—and I know they do not—any question about the sincerity of those who work and sacrifice for us and who potentially can make the ultimate sacrifice, as Sergeant Langley has.

We can assure his family—and I know this view is shared across the parliament—that this outstanding soldier will be forever remembered. We remember him now, just as we remember all the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of a very grateful nation. His family must know that we are extremely proud of his courage, his selflessness and his service. We know from his family that Todd epitomised the spirit of the Aussie digger: loyal, hard-working and well-respected. We need to know, and we need to make sure everyone else knows, that he will never be forgotten. Lest we forget.

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

Todd Matthew Langley, Sergeant, 2nd Commando Regiment, Special Operations Task Group. He was a Western Australian and the thing that Western Australians and Queenslanders have in common is an adventurous spirit, so it is only natural that he would have been drawn to the outdoors. It is only natural that he would have been drawn to being a team player. It is only natural that he would have been drawn to taking more risks than a lot of people would. He was a father, a husband, a son and a friend. To become a soldier of his calibre—five tours, decorations, toughness—requires a great deal of discipline, heroism and training.

I have had conversations with the men and women of 3rd Brigade in Townsville at the RAAF base. The training they do involves making sure that when they are in a situation they rely on muscle memory so that there is nothing left to chance. The 3rd Brigade in Townsville is our ready-deployable part of the service. They spend day after day training so that, if something happens, they know exactly where they are going to be. If they are not trained in that way, someone will get hurt or die. Even though these guys are so brilliantly trained, even though they are so brilliantly ready, there are always going to be tragedies.

Sergeant Langley is the 28th person to die overseas in this conflict in Afghanistan. It is a loss we all bear greatly. I note the words of the minister when he said that as members of this House we all share the responsibility of sending our men and women overseas. When they fall we obviously do not take it as hard as the family, but we are very aware of the responsibility we have. When you talk to the soldiers and men and women of the ADF that come back from Afghanistan, and indeed our parliamentary colleagues who go over there, you understand the work we are doing in training the Afghan army and trying to make that place a better place. We take education and human rights for granted. I am the parent of three children. I have one daughter now at university and one in year 12 weighing up her options. In the Afghanistan of old, before we got involved in this, the people did not have options. We are now seeing kids there go to school, and through school is education, through education is power and through education and power is freedom. That is what we are there for. We are not there to fight a war; we are there to make them masters of their own country, to give them the opportunities that we take for granted. While I understand extremely well people's reservations about us being in a foreign land, I think when you put these things into context you see we are able to say these things because we are in a country that is defended by our men and women of the ADF. We are able to have those debates openly and frankly, and more power to us. But when you talk to the soldiers that come back, when you talk to the airmen that have been there, you realise they want to be there, they need to be there and they feel that they are doing a great job, that they are making progress—and those are the things that we have to watch out for.

People often say—and I suppose for Todd Langley it would be very much the case—and I say it myself, 'I could be a world champion if no-one hit me back.' To be tough, to be a soldier of Todd Langley's calibre, you must first be able to play while injured, you must first be able to cope with the pain that comes with being in a very, very rough environment for long periods of time, away from your family and friends. To do that takes a special kind of person. To be at his age, to be in peak physical condition, to be the man whom everyone back here loves and to be capable of divesting himself of that to become the ultimate warrior in Afghanistan, he must have been a tremendous person. As the dad of four kids it must have torn him inside to be away from them.

Todd was ex-1RAR, so he has spent time in Townsville, and the community there is very much behind all our men and women in the ADF. We are a huge veteran town and a huge defence town, and we take our involvement in this very, very seriously. When one of ours goes down, there is always someone in Townsville that knows them or has worked with them. We are currently seeing the 2RAR Townsville based regiment being deployed in various stages for various fields of fire and training organisations in Afghanistan; when these guys are going overseas, we know that we are at risk. Our schools and our workplaces are full of defence men, women and children, so when these things happen there is a little bit of reflection by the whole city of Townsville.

I will finish by saying that we respect what our men and women of the ADF do in trying to make this world a safer place. For Todd's parents, wife, children and friends, it is cold comfort that we in this House speak of him, because it is their loss. Sometimes I feel when we are doing these things that we are in fact intruding on someone else's grief. But it is right that you should grieve. You should be proud of Todd—your son, your husband, your father and your friend. So grieve but please remember him for all that was good, all the good things he did, all the good times you had and not the tragedy of his death. Sergeant Todd Matthew Langley will be missed—a great Australian gone. Lest we forget.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Lest we forget. I thank all the members for their contributions. I understand it is the wish of 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.

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

I move:

That further proceedings be conducted in the House.

Question agreed to.