John Cobb (Calare, National Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Food Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the condolence motion for Lance Corporal Mervyn John McDonald and Private Nathanael John Aubrey Galagher, in this case particularly for Private Galagher who was a former student of Forbes Public School and Forbes High School in my electorate of Calare. The previous speaker said he has not been to Afghanistan. I have had the honour to spend time with our troops in Afghanistan. They are so good, so professional and so committed that you just wonder how we have people like that doing such a job.

Private Nathanael Galagher died along with fellow Australian soldier Lance Corporal Mervyn McDonald from the Special Operations Task Group when their helicopter crashed in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan on 30 August. Tragically, we lost five Australian soldiers that day in Afghanistan, and obviously our hearts and thoughts go out to all their families and friends.

Private Galagher was born in Wee Waa in 1989. Nathanael attended Forbes Public School in year 6 and finished his schooling at Forbes High School. Private Galagher's mother, Sally, wrote a tribute for her son in the local newspaper of where she now lives, the Narrabri Courier, saying Nathanael was the type of bloke who would never balk at a challenge and always gave more than 100 per cent. That is certainly evident in the fact that he represented Forbes High School in cross-country at a state level.

Nathanael's mother said her son played rugby league for the Forbes Magpies and under-18 for Forbes in Group 11 rugby league before enlisting in the Army as a rifleman in October 2007. His initial training was completed in Kapooka before being stationed at Singleton and then Townsville. Private Galagher was deployed to Afghanistan for his first tour in August 2009 to February 2010 and was deployed to Afghanistan for his second tour in July. In her moving tribute in the Narrabri Courier, Private Nathanael Galagher's mother says her son was living his childhood dream of being in the Army and being a commando. He was 22 years old when he died. He is survived by his parents, Sally and Wayne, sister, Elanor, partner, Jessie Feeney, and their unborn son. Lest we forget.

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

Sadly but with great honour I again rise today to speak about soldiers who have lost their lives in Afghanistan, with five soldiers killed in two separate incidents in one week in what has been called our darkest military incident since Vietnam. Private Nathanael Galagher was from Wee Waa in New South Wales. I know Wee Waa reasonably well. It is a town not unlike my own hometown of St George, a cotton town, and no doubt he spent some time working in the cotton fields or chipping, doing those horrible jobs that come with life in a country town.

He was just 23 years old and on his second deployment when he was tragically killed in a helicopter crash on 30 August 2012. He joined the Army on 22 October 2007 and was posted to the 1st Battalion Royal Australian Regiment, 1RAR. On completion of his selection and training course and reinforcement cycle, Private Galagher was posted to the 2nd Commando Regiment in November 2011. Private Galagher was on his second tour of Afghanistan. I understand that he always had positive attitude and was a very well respected soldier in his regiment. Private Galagher had been awarded the following honours and awards: the Australian Active Service Medal with Clasp ICAT, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Australian Defence Medal, the NATO non article 5 Medal with Clasp ISAF and the multiple tour indicator, the Infantry Combat Badge and the Returned from Active Service Badge.

To Private Galagher's partner, Jessie, his parents, Wayne and Sally, and his sister, Elanor, to all his friends and family, may our thoughts and prayers be with you as you remember a man who was enthusiastic and always gave his all.

Lance Corporal Mervyn McDonald, just 30, from Carnarvon in Western Australia, another country town, was on his 10th deployment abroad when he too was tragically killed in the helicopter crash of 30 August 2012. It rolls off the tongue easily, 10th deployment, but anyone from the military would have an insight into the courage of such a soldier. Lance Corporal McDonald enlisted in the Army in May 1999 and was posted to the 1RAR. He served for five years, left in 2004 and then realised he loved it so much that he re-enlisted in 2005.

On completion of his selection and training course and reinforcement cycle, Lance Corporal McDonald was posted to the then 4th Battalion Commando, now the 2nd Commando Regiment, in August 2008. He was on his sixth tour to Afghanistan. I understand he was quick-witted and 'brought a positive energy to both his unit comrades and all those who served with him'. An ideas man, a problem solver and a soldier who was dedicated and enthusiastic to the core, one of the very best who let us sleep safely in our beds at night. He was a highly professional soldier but his quiet nature and humility meant that he always ensured that credit earned was passed to his fellow soldiers, which is one of those most Australian of characteristics, particularly for our diggers. Lance Corporal McDonald has been awarded the following honours and awards: the Australian Active Service Medal with Clasp East Timor and ICAT, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Australian Service Medal with Clasp East Timor and CT/SR, the Australian Defence Medal, the United Nations Mission in Support of East Timor Medal, the Timor Leste Solidarity Medal, the NATO non article 5 Medal with Clasp ISAF and multiple tour indicator, the Commander of the First Division commendation, the Infantry Combat Badge and the Return from Active Service Badge—quite a list indeed.

To Lance Corporal McDonald's fiancee, Rachael, his mother, Myrna, his stepfather, Bernie, and brothers Percy, Roger and Gary, and all of his other family and friends, be you listening now or reading this in 10 or 20 years time, our thoughts are with you during this difficult time as you remember a young man who was brave in battle and served his country with positivity and hope for the future. Like so many of our soldiers, sailors and airmen, he placed himself in harm's way so that we could sleep safer in our beds at night.

These two soldiers epitomise the characteristics that we envisage all soldiers having. Private Galagher and Lance Corporal McDonald paid the ultimate sacrifice. They died defending our country so that we as Australians could continue to enjoy the freedoms and liberties we have fought for decades to maintain. Their names will be preserved in the hearts and minds of many Australians as well as having a permanent place on the walls of the Australian War Memorial, bedecked with poppies, alongside all of those who have fallen in Afghanistan and other fields of battle.

Sadly, over 100,000 Australians names are up there. It is sad to see loss of life, obviously. Too often this is splashed across the news, but what is even sadder is when the lives of such skilled soldiers as Private Galagher and Lance Corporal McDonald are taken at so young an age.

Obviously, they had so much to offer the world, the military, Australia and the ones they left behind. As a father of two young boys I cannot begin to imagine the thought of burying a child, and the pain these families are going through. My condolences and prayers extend to you all.

I finish with the words of poet Bruce Dawe, who also served in the military, although I think he was in the RAAF and not the Army. As an English teacher I taught the poem Homecoming for years and years, long before I went into politics. The whole poem is not totally appropriate now that I am thinking of and talking about real heroes. I am thinking of Private Galagher and Lance Corporal McDonald rather than the concept of a soldier being returned home, so I am thinking about real heroes and real soldiers. For that reason I will not read the entire poem. Nevertheless, as Private Galagher and Lance Corporal McDonald make their final journeys home to Wee Waa and Carnarvon, or wherever they are in rural Australia, these classic Australian country towns, Bruce Dawe's final stanza is a poignant conclusion:

… as they move

on to small towns where dogs in the frozen sunset

raise muzzles in mute salute,

and on to cities in whose wide web of suburbs

telegrams tremble like leaves from a wintering tree

and the spider grief swings in his bitter geometry

they’re bring them home, now, too late, too early.

Lest we forget.

Mark Coulton (Parkes, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I too rise to pay my respect for Lance Corporal Mervyn John McDonald and Private Nathanael John Aubrey Galagher. If I may, I would like to focus my remarks today on Private Nathanael Galagher, or Nate, as he was known to his family and friends. Nate Galagher was born at Wee Waa in Western New South Wales and grew up in the Wee Waa-Narrabri area. Nate is the son of Wayne and Sally and a brother to Elanor. He is also survived by his partner, Jessie, and their unborn son.

Nate Galagher typifies a boy from the bush. As far as he roamed with his life in the military, he was still very much at home in the Black Soil Plains of Western New South Wales. It is the boy from the bush—the boy who has grown up with dirt under his nails, with a can-do attitude, with ability and with a humble nature that so typifies the young men over the generations—that has come through in Nate Galagher.

I don't know his parents, Wayne and Sally, but I know people who do—and his family is very well regarded. Indeed, I am speaking today on behalf of the residents of north-west New South Wales, to put on record their thoughts at this very sad time. Nate Galagher will be buried at Pilliga, a very small village west of Wee Waa; and he will be surrounded by family and friends and work colleagues.

While it will be an incredibly sad day, I might say, Mr Deputy Speaker, it will be a day when that community will be very proud—proud that one of their own has served with the highest of distinction in a war very far away. He will be coming home to be laid to rest, and it will be a great honour and privilege for me to be part of that ceremony tomorrow.

Mike Kelly (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I commend the member for Parkes on his fine words—and all my colleagues who have contributed to the discussion on these two motions today. I would particularly like to reflect on the fine words of the member for Riverina, who has proven to be an exceptionally fine member in his area; and I reflect, too, on the fact that he has the Kapooka base nearby, where one of our soldiers whom we are commemorating had passed through recently, so he also recognised the contribution Kapooka has made to the tradition of our services and the values that are instilled there. So I salute his comments.

Now we are reflecting upon two members of our special forces who were killed in this exceptionally unfortunate incident on 30 August this year in the helicopter accident. This is obviously a different circumstance to what we were reflecting on earlier. It is well to work through what is the difference between these special forces soldiers and other circumstances of the members, branches and corps of the service; and the service they are involved with and the risks they face. These soldiers go through processes to get to the field, to get to the deployments and operations, that are almost as harsh as the circumstances they ultimately find themselves in. In fact, we do often lose members of these units in these highly risky training environments, where they push it to the edge. They try to achieve a battlefield inoculation; they try to emulate and replicate operational circumstances as closely as possible.

Certainly, we are in a time when a premium has been placed on these special forces capabilities. We have faced, so often in recent decades, the issues of counterinsurgency environments and counterterrorism where we need quite often to be able to deploy the rapier instead of the broadsword; where we need precision in our targeting and our operations. In these sorts of environments, any collateral damage, any civilian casualties you cause as a consequence of operations, can set you back, no matter what tactical gain you might have achieved in a particular activity or operation. Any associated civilian casualties or collateral damage can strategically set your whole mission back.

So it is very important that you have this capability to really reach in carefully, precisely, to target the individuals that have to be targeted. At the end of the day we all hope that negotiation processes will be successful, will progress in achieving long-term peace in Afghanistan, but we know that in this world at the moment we are facing some enemies and threats for whom there is no other solution than that they be killed. We have to be frankly honest and straightforward about that.

So there are times when this nation will need the rapier that these special forces soldiers provide—when we will need well trained, hard men who are prepared to put their bodies on the line. It is a harsh reality of the world we live in, and it is no good trying to paper that over. The nation will always need warriors. When I use the term 'warrior' I mean an individual who is prepared to kill or be killed but who also lives by a code of conduct. The exceptional thing about these soldiers, Lance Corporal Mervyn John McDonald, Private Nathanael John Aubrey Galagher and their colleagues is that they are incredibly disciplined with their abilities.

They certainly bring to us such a high level of professional and elite military skills, but also with that, a commitment to excellence, a commitment to discipline, to operate within their rules of engagement to achieve the broader objectives that we seek to achieve.

Lance Corporal Mervyn McDonald, who was a veteran of Timor as well as Afghanistan, is survived by his fiancee Rachael, his mother Myrna and stepfather Bernie, brothers Percy, Roger and Gary, also leaves behind a more poignant circumstance, one that leaves us with a great deal of pain and emotion when we think of the fact that he has an unborn son on the way to Rachael—a son that will never know his father in a personal sense, and will never be able to benefit from the guidance and love of a father that he will not know in the physical sense. All of his colleagues and his fiancee will work hard to make sure this child understands the legacy that his father will have left to him. I am sure that will play a significant role in shaping his life as a role model that he can look to, to inspire him in whatever he does in life.

Commando units are a very tight family, and it was an extreme privilege for me to be able to come to know in particular, for example, the Sher family who lost Greg Sher earlier on in this Afghanistan operation, and to watch how the unit wrapped around the family and how the family looked also to support the unit. It was incredibly inspiring to see how they wanted to convey their belief in the mission, their resolve to continue, and their intense concern for the comrades of Private Greg Sher. This is replicated throughout the experience we have with these families and these men and the women also who are deployed in the other units.

Private Galagher also exemplifies the finest of those qualities of these commandos who have committed to pass through the incredibly intense courses and training environments, and we also send our deep condolences to his partner Jessie.

There is not much we can say to blunt the pain and the grief that these families, their colleagues and comrades are going through right now, but we need to also recognise that they go through this risk all the time. We have just passed on 12 June this year the 16th anniversary of the tragic helicopter accident in Townsville, which I was involved in helping to set up the board of inquiry into. I think it is appropriate that on the cover of the Australian Army's brief history, they have represented Trooper John Church who was one of the SAS soldiers killed in that accident, and the photo is of him serving in Rwanda, carrying a Rwandan child. He was the epitome of the finest of the qualities of these special force soldiers that we have. In that incident we lost 15 of them, and three 5th Aviation Regiment soldiers as well. It was an incredibly gut-wrenching experience for Defence Force.

It is never easy, regardless of the numbers but I would like today, in paying tribute to these two members and to their families, to acknowledge the service they render on a daily basis whether in Afghanistan or not and the capability that they provide this nation in a very difficult and complex time and period of security challenges. We definitely need them but we definitely need our country to understand that there is a level of hardness that we require of people in tough times and tough circumstances and we should never attempt to dilute that. We have to understand that it is necessary to maintain that rapier with a sharp edge and be prepared to support them and their families in what they do.

I finish by saluting the service of these two exceptional soldiers, Lance Corporal Mervyn McDonald and Private Nathanael Galagher. They will never be forgotten.

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

I rise to join other members in speaking on the condolence motion on the deaths of Lance Corporal Mervyn John McDonald and Private Nate John Galagher. These two soldiers were from the 2nd Commando Regiment and were killed when their Black Hawk helicopter crashed while attempting to land during a mission in Helmand province on Thursday, 30 August.

Lance Corporal Mervyn McDonald was 30 years of age and was from Carnarvon in northern Western Australia. He was killed along with Private Nate Galagher, who was 30 years of age as well, and he was from Wee Waa in New South Wales. I offer my condolences to Lance Corporal McDonald's fiancee, Rachael; his mother, Myrna, and stepfather, Bernie; and his brothers, Percy, Roger and Gary and to Private Galagher's partner, Jessie, his parents, Wayne and Sally, and his sister, Elanor.

As I said earlier, I think I am one of perhaps not many in this place as the daughter of a war widow. My two older sisters and my mother went through what these families will also go through. I understand what it means. Equally, they received a lot of support from the comrades of their husband and father, from Legacy and from the community itself. I am confident that these families will also be able to draw on that level of support. And they will need it—there is a lot ahead of them and every day will be a tough day; every day the news does not change for them.

I also pass on my deep condolences to Lance Corporal McDonald's unborn son. He is going to need a lot of support, and he will need to hear about his dad; he will need to hear what a fine man his father was and what he sacrificed for our country. He will need to know those things, and I am sure he is going to get that sort of encouragement. He will be inspired, as we heard, by what his father has done for this nation. I have no doubt that that imprint of what his father has done will have an impact on this young man all his life in different ways. His father's presence will be there in a way perhaps different from other people. The loss to him and his mother will be extreme.

Lance Corporal McDonald went to school in Australind, about 12 kilometres north of Bunbury, in my electorate of Forrest in the south-west of WA. He and his younger brother grew up in the Bunbury and Australind area. Lance Corporal McDonald had made his career in the Army. He enlisted in 1999, had served in East Timor and was on his sixth deployment to Afghanistan. He has been described as a dedicated, enthusiastic and professional soldier. Merv's older brother, Gary, spoke on ABC Radio a couple of weeks ago on behalf of the family. He said his brother's death had been a terrible shock for the family, but they would always be very proud of him and remember him as a top bloke with a heart of gold. What a great endorsement of the man. Gary said that he hoped people would understand why his brother was fighting in a far-flung corner of the world such as Afghanistan. We in this place do understand why he was fighting in Afghanistan. You hear from these families and you know that they understand the mission and they understand their brother and son's passion for what he did. Gary told the local radio station:

He actually just sent us a postcard earlier this month about how things were going. He showed us footage of what he was doing—how he trained and flew in on his helicopters.

Gary also said:

Mervyn was a hell of a guy, he was. Would always do things for you. He was always sending stuff to my kids. He really wanted to start a family; he's a very big family person ... we just can't believe he's gone.

Gary said:

He had a heart of gold. He was always trying to make sure that we were OK. He was just such a top guy...

Even when Merv was on his sixth tour in Afghanistan he wanted to make sure his family was okay. Gary said he just wanted him to be remembered, and that is what all members in this House today are doing—we are remembering him, and we are putting our thoughts in Hansard forever. The day will come where his son and his family get to read exactly what the members in this place have said today and previously.

I would commend each of the members speaking today, because these words will be read by the families in time—by and their children, by their comrades, by their friends. It is important that we show the respect that we do in this place. We do understand the grief of the families and that it might be a long time before they are able to read the words we have laid down in this parliament, but it is important that we do place these words on the record. The Chief of Defence Force General David Hurley described Lance Corporal McDonald as quick-witted and said he 'he brought a positive energy to both his unit comrades and to all of those who served with him'. That is a great endorsement in itself, to have a positive attitude no matter where you are and what you are doing. Lance Corporal McDonald, as we know, is survived by his fiancee, his mother and stepfather and three brothers.

These two men were among the five Australian soldiers killed in separate incidents in Afghanistan in a 24-hour period. All of us felt that so desperately. We felt desperately for the circumstances and for the loss of five really fine Australians. I would think we would not find any better Australians anywhere. It is important that in this place we recognise the sacrifices that each one of these men made and equally, as I said earlier, we have to recognise the ongoing sacrifices of their families. I believe we understand that these families will have to live with these memories every day.

Equally I know from my mother's and my sister's experience that throughout the years it is the support of the other ADF members, the support of their comrades, the support of Legacy and all that we place around them that is so important to those young people and, of course, to the families. I am really proud to join other members in this place in offering our condolences while recognising the sacrifices of what we have to say were two really fine Australians.

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

I join with the Acting Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, the Minister for Defence and all members who have made or will make a contribution to this condolence motion today. In doing so I pay my respects to 30-year-old Lance Corporal Mervyn John McDonald and 23-year-old Private Nathanael John Aubrey Galagher. Thirty-eight Australians have now given their lives in Afghanistan. That is 38 too many, but when the government of the day embarked on this mission it did so fully conscious that more than likely lives would be lost. The loss of those lives is very, very tragic and it is hard for us as non family members to contemplate this loss.

But I stand here today to say that, while the cost has been very high, the reasons for our intervention in Afghanistan are still valid. We are there for the right reason doing very good things and making the world a safer place. The operation denies the insurgents a breeding ground and safe haven and helps to build a democracy, society and economy in Afghanistan which hopefully will continue to deny the insurgency into the future. I hope that those who doubt our ongoing campaign there reflect on this.

Yesterday was the anniversary of 9/11, the day the Twin Towers came down in New York. There could be no more graphic memory of why we are in Afghanistan. Australians died on that day in New York. Australians died in Bali. Australians died in Jakarta. Of course, all of those events had links to Afghanistan. This is a job worth doing and it is a job worth finishing. In my view talk of a precipitous withdrawal is foolish and bordering on offensive to those who have already made the ultimate sacrifice.

We need to finish the task. We need to leave an Afghanistan in which the security forces, both the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police, are capable of maintaining the rule of law and enforcing their own security. Of course we need to do much more—I have touched on it: build an economy; build a justice system; and of course help the Afghan people tap those natural resources and get them off the poppy economy and onto a rural economy so they can have long-term sustainability.

I had the great pleasure last night of representing the government and speaking at the reception to mark the 10th anniversary of formal diplomatic relations between Australia and Afghanistan. I spoke of my great hope for Afghanistan and its people who have a rich culture, a deep history and a future.

The two very brave soldiers we mourn today were of course commandos. Those who have served in the Special Air Service Regiment, generally known as special forces soldiers, are something very special. All those who make a commitment to deploy as part of the Australian Defence Force are special people, and I remind the House that they are all volunteers. They go and they deploy as volunteers, but there are none more special than our special forces soldiers who in many senses do the very hard, dangerous and highly skilled work up the front end.

I do not know what Lance Corporal McDonald and Private Nathanael Galagher were doing that day. I am not privy to that detail, but they were killed in a Black Hawk helicopter crash. They were going well out beyond the wire, and you can be pretty sure they were going after either a cache of weapons or an insurgent and were probably going to kick a door in somewhere, not knowing what was on the other side of that door. That is scary and dangerous work but it is what commandos do, and they do it with great courage, skill, strength and expertise. We should pause regularly to pay tribute to the work they do. I have had the privilege of meeting many of them and seeing them train. I have even had a beer with them, and they are amazing people doing amazing work.

The other thing that is important to remember—I touched on the fact that these soldiers are all volunteers—is they go willingly and indeed happily. They go absolutely believing in what they are going to do and that there is a reason to be there, and they are keen to be there. Many of them have deployed on many occasions—some of them are rotated six or seven times. I do not mean to say this in a light-hearted way but, if a defence minister really wanted to make themselves unpopular, the first thing they would do is tell our special forces soldiers that there would not be an opportunity to deploy again—because they want to deploy. They train to fight on behalf of their country. They train to make their country a safer place and, having trained so hard, they appreciate the opportunity to put their training into effect. Again, they do that very, very well.

We are forever grateful to these two brave soldiers and the other 36 we have mourned before them. Again, 38 is too many; it is a very high cost. Again, I say we are there for the right reasons and we need to complete this very difficult, complex and dangerous task. We saw how dangerous this morning as we mourned three soldiers who fell victim to a green-on-blue attack—that is, they were shot by an Afghan they were working alongside. Nothing could be more challenging, confronting and concerning to a soldier than to be in doubt about the loyalty of the person they are serving alongside. It is very hard for any of us to imagine.

I say to Lance Corporal McDonald's mother, Myrna; his stepfather, Bernie; his brothers, Percy, Roger and Gary; and his fiancee, Rachael; and to Private Galagher's partner, Jessie; his parents, Wayne and Sally; and his sister, Elanor: we are a very grateful country—not only for the sacrifice of their loved ones but for their sacrifice. They have lost a lot; We can only try to imagine. These men are now Australian heroes and we will be forever grateful for their sacrifice.

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

I join with all others in honouring Lance Corporal Meryvn McDonald and Private Nathanael Galagher, who were killed in action when their ISAF helicopter crashed in Helmand Province in the early hours of 30 August 2012. I pass on my condolences to Lance Corporal McDonald's family: his fiancee, Rachael; his mother, Myrna; his stepfather, Bernie; his brothers, Percy, Roger and Gary. To Private Galagher's partner, Jessie; his parents, Wayne and Sally; and his sister, Elanor: I pass on my condolences. 'Nate'—as he preferred to be called—Galagher was serving with the Special Operations Task Group in Afghanistan when he was tragically killed. Twenty-three-year-old Private Galagher was born in 1989 in Wee Waa, which is just down from the road from where I grew up in Texas, in the black soil plains of New South Wales. He joined the Army on 22 October 2007 and was posted to the 1st Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment—1RAR—which is based in Townsville. On completion of his selection and training course and reinforcement cycle, Private Galagher was posted to the 2nd commando Regiment in 2011. Nate was on his second tour of Afghanistan.

Private Galagher always put 100 per cent into everything he did. He had a 'can do' attitude—always wanting to get the job done and taking everything in his stride. He was an enthusiastic young soldier who was very well respected by his mates from the regiment.

Lance Corporal McDonald was serving with the Special Operations Task Group in Afghanistan as well. He was 30 years old and was born in Carnarvon in north-western Western Australia in 1982. He joined the Army in 1999 and was posted to the 1st Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment, which is a long, long way away from Carnarvon, in Townsville. On completion of his selection and training course and reinforcement cycle, he was posted to the 4th Battalion (Commando), The Royal Australian Regiment, now the 2nd Commando Regiment, in August 2008. Lance Corporal McDonald was on his sixth tour to Afghanistan.

Lance Corporal McDonald was quick witted and 'brought a positive energy to his unit comrades and to all those who served with him'. He was a dedicated and enthusiastic professional soldier and was always willing to come forward with ideas and solutions. He was a highly professional soldier, but his quiet nature and humility meant he always deflected credit back on to fellow members of his company. I agree with what the minister and the Chief Government Whip said earlier: these guys in the commandos are a special breed. They live on the edge. They know the risks. No-one wants anyone to die, but they know the risks and it is a very, very dangerous job that they do.

Having been part of 1RAR when they first joined the Army, Townsville does share their loss. We feel every injury, every death, very sharply. We pass on our regards as a city, and as a garrison city, to their families. I have never been to Afghanistan but I have been to Wee Waa. I have never even been to Western Australia. To the families: I wish you godspeed. It is not going to be easy; it never will be.

I did not know either of these men, but I will always remember them and the job that they did. I thank them for their service and their sacrifice. Lest we forget.

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

I rise to associate myself with the remarks of the previous speaker and, obviously, the speakers before him, including the Acting Prime Minister, the Minister for Defence, the Leader of the Opposition and all of my parliamentary colleagues who have expressed condolences to the families and friends of Private Nathanael John Aubrey Galagher and Lance Corporal Mervyn John McDonald.

Private Galagher and Lance Corporal McDonald, as we now know, were tragically killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan on 30 August this year. We will forever remember when these young men made the supreme sacrifice for us.

This week the House put on record its appreciation of their service to their country and tendered its profound sympathy to their families and friends. Our hearts, thoughts and sympathies are with the families and mates of these two brave Australians and the wider defence community.

The loss of Private Galagher and Lance Corporal McDonald is a tragedy. Sadly, it is something that we are all too familiar with. The stories of grief and loss, pain and sacrifice still move each and every one of us, as they should. But there are also in this case, as in every case, stories of professionalism, courage and service for us, for our nation. We know that in this case there was a strong mateship between these two men. Both of them were elite soldiers. They gave their lives on duty in a job they chose, serving the nation they loved. Their stories are indeed worth knowing and worth telling. Their names will have a proud place on the walls of the Australian War Memorial where they will be forever enshrined, alongside another 102,000 fallen Australians.

As we know, Private Nathanael Galagher joined the Army in 2007 and later the elite 2nd Commando Regiment. He was committed to everything he did—a man, we are told, with a can-do attitude. He was tenacious and easily took to the role of an elite soldier. He was young when he passed the commando selection course and training cycle, as difficult as it is. He earned the respect of his mates in the regiment. It is those mates who we think of when we say that his contribution to the Army and the ADF will be sorely missed.

At the young age of 23 he was on his second deployment to Afghanistan, already a veteran of this decade-long conflict. Private Galagher is survived by his partner, Jessie; parents Wayne and Sally; and sister Elanor. We know that Private Galagher was looking forward to becoming a father. It is so sad that this opportunity has been taken from him and that a chance to know his father was taken from his unborn son. So in this place we honour his partner Jessie's pledge that his son will understand the wonderful man his dad was. This sacrifice that he and his comrade made in their country's name is the most that anyone can give for us and for our nation.

Lance Corporal McDonald joined the Australian Defence Force some 13 years ago, again, a member of the 2nd Commando Regiment. He was a dedicated soldier, committed to the long haul. Those who served with him knew Lance Corporal McDonald as a man who came up with ideas and solutions. Obviously, he was quite a can-do character. A quiet and humble person, he would deflect credit onto his mates but his modesty hid a quick wit and, we are told, a very sharp mind.

Lance Corporal McDonald was an experienced soldier with 10 overseas deployments and six tours of Afghanistan. While I divert from my text here for a moment, it is very hard for us to imagine 10 overseas deployments, six to Afghanistan, in a fighting role and what those meant. I said this in an earlier speech this morning that those of us who have never put on this uniform, who have not been with the special forces, who have not been beyond the wire, who have not embarked on one of their daily patrols cannot know what in fact the challenges were and are that indeed remain.

That this brave man has done 10 overseas tours, six of them to Afghanistan, puts him in a very elite place. I just cannot imagine it: the fear that must pass through your body and your mind as you participate in activities where you could be shot, be the subject of an IED or some other action that could lead to your death. Knowingly embarking on a career for your nation where you knowingly are prepared to put your life at risk and on the line for us: that is what these soldiers have done. In the case of Lance Corporal McDonald, his service speaks for itself. His mates in uniform will miss his experience, mateship and skill, but, most tragically, the loss will be most fundamentally felt by his family. Lance Corporal McDonald's mother Myrna and stepfather Bernie and brothers Percy, Roger and Gary have lost a son and a brother. And, of course, we think of his fiancee Rachael. Lance Corporal McDonald and Rachael were due to be married in Bendigo next Easter Saturday. In the words of Rachael:

Merv would have been a fantastic husband and a wonderful dad.

I cannot begin to imagine the magnitude of the loss that Rachael and Lance Corporal McDonald's family must be feeling now and I know they have the sympathies of each and every one of us.

These two blokes shared a bond. They were mates. Lance Corporal McDonald promised Private Galagher's partner Jessie that he would bring him home. She has had that promise fulfilled, though it has come at a terrible cost to both their families. There simply is no statement, no act, no monument—nothing—that we can do that could compensate for the sacrifice that was made by them that day in August. The contribution of Private Galagher and Lance Corporal McDonald—like that of so many before them—will always be remembered. They gave our nation all they had and we will never take their sacrifice for granted. We have an obligation, as I say on a continuing basis in this place, to pay homage to those who wear our uniform for us and who are prepared to go into a situation where they know that their life is on the line, where they know that it is conceivable that they may not come home. How can we ever put ourselves in that situation and know what they feel? I think it leaves us in a place where we are found severely wanting. The words I have spoken are really superfluous to our understanding, because we do not understand; we can only wonder and pay homage to their bravery, their sacrifice and their sense of service and thank them for what they have done. Lest we forget.

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

I would like to start by responding to the words of my colleague from across the chamber: 'the words are superfluous'. I beg to differ with him on only that one thing. I think it is so important that each of us in this place speak these words in honour of these great men who have made such a sacrifice for us. It is testament to their memory. It will be but cold comfort to their relatives and brothers in arms, but it is absolutely important for us here today. It is incredibly difficult to have to stand in this place and speak the names of men who have been lost in battle and who have been lost in war. It is even harder to have to do it twice in one day, and that is, unfortunately, what we are doing today.

We have already spoken about the terrible and tragic loss of Lance Corporal Stjepan Milosevic, Sapper James Martin and Private Robert Poate, and we must add to this most heartbreaking of lists Lance Corporal Mervyn McDonald and Private Nathanael Galagher. These two soldiers tragically lost their lives when their helicopter went down in Helmund. Lance Corporal Mervyn McDonald was clearly a superb soldier, highly decorated and valued. Lance Corporal McDonald was on his astounding 11th tour of duty. The awards bestowed upon him read long and varied and include: Australian Active Service Medal with Clasp East Timor and ICAT, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Australian Service Medal with Clasp East Timor, Timor-Leste and CT/SR, Australian Defence Medal, United Nations Mission in Support of East Timor Medal, Timor-Leste Solidarity Medal, NATO non-article 5 Medal with Clasp ISAF and Multiple Tour Indicator (2), Commander 1st Division Commendation, Infantry Combat Badge and Returned from Active Service Badge. Indeed, an incredible list of achievements.

In a statement by his fiance Rachael Sprigg -McKinnie, she wrote of the man, Lance Corporal McDonald, and his devotion to his family and his country. She stated:

Merv was the warmest guy you’d ever meet. You could see it in his eyes, they had a special sparkle.

He was a real Aussie bloke with a passion for his country, especially its natural splendour.

He is survived by his fiance Rachael, his mother Myrna and stepfather Bernie, and brothers Percy, Roger and Gary. We feel for them in their grief—grief that they will experience not only today but also in the days, weeks, months and years ahead. The gap in their lives will never be filled and our hearts go out to them.

Private Nathanael Galagher was on his second tour of duty as part of the Special Operations Task Group. Born in Wee Waa, New South Wales, in 1989, Private Galagher joined the Army in 2007. Described as a can-do kind of guy, he was highly respected amongst his colleagues. When a task needed to be done, we are told that Private Galagher was only too happy to oblige. Private Galagher loved to be in the presence of Lance Corporal McDonald, learning much off his superior and the experience he brought to the team. I have no doubt that he will continue to look out for Private Galagher as they both watch over us.

Private Galagher received the following honours and awards: Australian Active Service Medal with Clasp ICAT, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Australian Defence Medal, NATO non-article 5 Medal with Clasp ISAF and the Multiple Tour Indicator (2), Infantry Combat Badge and Returned from Active Service Badge. Private Galagher is survived by his partner Jessie, parents Wayne and Sally, and sister Elanor.

We thank these brave men for their service and wish their families the greatest of strength as they must deal with this tragic loss. We honour their memory in this place today. We will be forever indebted for their sacrifice to our country, for our freedoms and for the families that we hold dear. Lest we forget.

Alan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to contribute to this motion that was moved by the Acting Prime Minister earlier this week. I would also like to commend the fine words of the member for Higgins and those of all the other members of this House on this motion over the last couple of days. It is with a heavy heart that I rise to speak on this condolence motion. Lance Corporal Mervyn John McDonald and Private Nathanael John Aubrey Galagher were on operations with the Special Operations Task Group in Afghanistan when they were tragically killed in a helicopter crash on 30 August 2012. Thirty-year-old Lance Corporal McDonald was born in Carnarvon, Western Australia. He joined the Army many years ago now, in 1999, and was posted to the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, the 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment and the 2nd Commando Regiment in August 2008.

He was, incredibly, on his sixth tour to Afghanistan and, I understand, his 11th tour in total. As the member for Higgins pointed out, he was highly decorated, being awarded numerous awards over the years. He was truly an exceptional soldier. Previous members have spoken about him being part of the Special Forces, a commando, the very best soldiers that we have. They are exceptionally well-trained. They do the toughest missions that we can possibly think of. I had the opportunity to spend a little bit of time with some of the Special Forces over in Western Australia a month or two ago and I heard first-hand some of their accounts of what they have to do, and I saw some of their training and what they have to go through in order to prepare themselves for their tasks at hand. They are the best of the best.

Lance Corporal McDonald was certainly one of those soldiers. He was committed, he was enthusiastic, and he was known as an innovator and a problem-solver. His comrades and all those who served with him admired him and treated him with incredible respect and admired him. I understand he was the consummate team player who did not seek the limelight for himself but just got on with the job at hand. Lance Corporal McDonald leaves behind his fiancee, Rachael, his mother, Myrna, his stepfather, Bernie, and brothers, Percy, Roger and Gary. To them, we in this place extend our deepest sympathy in their unimaginable loss.

Private Nate Galagher was 23. He was born in Wee Waa and joined the Army in 2007. He was posted to the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, and then to the 2nd Commando Regiment in November 2011 on completion of his selection, training course and reinforcement cycle. It was his second tour of duty to Afghanistan and he was one of our exceptional commandos on this duty. Private Galagher was known for putting 100 per cent into everything that he did. He was known as having a real can-do attitude, being results focused and taking everything that was thrown at him in his stride. He was a dedicated and enthusiastic young soldier who was very well respected by his colleagues and was the recipient of many military awards. Nate leaves behind his partner, Jessie, his parents, Wayne and Sally, his sister, Eleanor, and of course his unborn son. As Nola Marino, the member for Forrest, pointed out earlier, his son will obviously never meet his father, but Nate will no doubt be an incredibly important person in his son's life, in a very important and special way. He will hear the stories of his father: the contribution that he made to our nation, the incredible skills that he possessed and the service that he gave. He will be sadly missed. His regiment, the Army and our nation share the family's loss and extend to them our deepest sympathies. Lest we forget.

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

I rise to pay my respects in the condolence motion for Lance Corporal Mervyn John McDonald and Private Nathanael John Aubrey Galagher, both of whom were tragically killed on 30 August this year in a helicopter crash as part of their operations in Afghanistan.

Lance Corporal McDonald was 30 years old and is survived by his fiancee, Rachael, his mother, Myrna, his stepfather, Bernie, and brothers, Percy, Roger and Gary. He joined the Army on 31 May 1999 and was a highly professional soldier, decorated many times with the Australian Active Service Medal with Clasp East Timor and ICAT, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Australian Service Medal with Clasp East Timor (Timor Leste) and CT/SR, the Australian Defence Medal, the United Nations Mission in Support of East Timor Medal, the Timor Leste Solidarity Medal, the NATO non article 5 Medal with Clasp ISAF and Multiple Tour Indicator, Commander 1st Division Commendation, Infantry Combat Badge and the Returned from Active Service Badge.

Lance Corporal was a man who served numerous times in Afghanistan and Timor-Leste and you could not find a braver and finer soldier in the Australian forces.

As is often the case, the families release statements at a time of their greatest sorrow. In their words:

Merv was the warmest guy you’d ever meet. You could see it in his eyes, they had a special sparkle.

He was a real Aussie bloke …. Merv could often be found four-wheel driving and going for bushwalks, but really his favourite place was the ocean. Merv just loved being in the water and the beach was his second home, where he could often be found swimming, spearing or barbequing.

They were simple pleasures which filled his soul.

He also had a great affection for the West Coast Eagles and Australian Rules football. In the words of his fiancee, Merv:

… changed my world by showing me new ways to think about things and by teaching me how to really experience life and believe in myself. We jammed so much into our 18 months together. Merv never missed a moment. He would stop to look at a rainbow or to smell the coffee.

We were due to be married in Bendigo next Easter Saturday and we were hoping to start a family soon after. Merv would have been a fantastic husband and a wonderful dad.

When I read those words, I do so with a heavy heart and, having been to Afghanistan, I know that Merv's life was not lost in vain. He has performed the bravest duty for his country and will not be forgotten.

Tragically, Merv was killed alongside Private Nathanael John Aubery Galagher. He was 23 years old and will be survived by his partner Jessie, parents Wayne and Sally, and sister Elanor. He joined the Army on 22 October 2007 posted to the 1st Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment 1 RAR. He was also very distinguished, having been awarded the Australian Active Service Medal with Clasp ICAT, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Australian Defence Medal, NATO non article 5 Medal with Clasp ISAF and the Multiple Tour Indicator, Infantry Combat Badge and the Returned from Active Service Badge. He served in Operation Slipper twice in Afghanistan—in 2010 and 2012.

His family statement reads as follows:

Nate wasn’t a ‘showy’ kind of guy, but rather one who would demonstrate his love through the little things which meant the world. He was so loving and grateful.

We never heard Nate say a bad thing about anyone. His love for his family was apparent to all.

Nate's partner Jessie said:

Nate idolised Lance Corporal Mervyn McDonald, who was also killed in the crash. Merv was generous with his experience and shared it with the other boys in the team, especially Nate. I last saw Nate at the airport when he departed Australia in July. As they were about to walk off to the gate together, Merv turned to me and said, 'don’t worry Jess, I’ll bring him home.' While it’s under the most tragic of circumstances, Merv is honouring his promise.

My pledge to Nate is that his son will understand the wonderful man who his dad was.

There’s no trait of Nate’s that I wouldn’t want his son to inherit.

These are powerful words and they reflect the deep love that the family and the comrades of Private Galagher had for him.

To Private Galagher's family and to Lance Corporal McDonald's family, on behalf of a grateful nation, we say thank you. Their lives were not in vain. They stood up for Australia's values and, most importantly, they helped make Australia a safer place. Lest we forget.

Debate adjourned.

Question agreed to.

Federation C hamber adjourn ed at 13:01