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

As 2015 heads toward an inevitable close, Townsville's 3rd Brigade at Lavarack Barracks embarks on a new phase. The last couple of years have seen a remarkable transition from an infantry base to a base which has embraced cavalry as a fully mobile, fully integrated, digitised, modern Australian Army unit. Under the stewardship of Brigadier Roger Noble, 2nd Cavalry Regiment now calls Townsville home. The black berets and their wedge-tailed eagle mascot fit right in with our city and we welcome them. Brigadier Noble also oversaw the digitisation of the command and control, C2, system, which was 'a massive jump, taking our Australian Army from the 20th century into a 21st century modern, efficient army unit'.

Brigadier Noble, like all good leaders, deflects all credit to his team of officers, the NCOs, his soldiers and the civilians who make up the dedicated workforce at Lavarack Barracks. As Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says, our best assets are our people, and so it is with the Army and ADF. Leaders such as Roger Noble recognise this, with a management style which promotes the core behaviours that define them as Australian soldiers of courage, initiative, teamwork and respect, and allows their people to express these values to their fullest extent. Brigadier Noble has been transferred to Sydney's Victoria Barracks. He joins a long list of brilliant soldiers who have commanded 3rd Brigade. The incoming brigadier is Brigadier Christopher Field, an infantry man through and through with a brilliant service record. He will continue to ensure that the 3rd Brigade remains Australia's premier Army base and the premier soldier transfer in our modern Australian Army.

The relationship between the city of Townsville and the ADF, and I include the RAAF and Navy in this, is very tight. Successive mayors, brigadiers and wing commanders have worked together to ensure the smooth relationship we currently enjoy remains just that way. It is not just the 1RAR band which plays at just about every charity event in the city and region, it is not the 2RAR pipe band which turns up everywhere, it is not the way that the entire ADF turn up post-cyclone and move hundreds of tonnes of debris from our communities at a moment's notice, and it is not the way that they do every doorknock for the Salvos or the surf-lifesavers and the like. To me, it is the way that they are the other mums and dads at schools, sport and dance on the weekends, struggling with the same things we all do. They are simply part of our community. There is no 'us and them'.

To all at Lavarack Barracks, to all at Ross Island and to all at RAAF Base Townsville, including 5 Aviation, and whether or not you wear a uniform, we say thank you for being a big part of our city. We wish you all the very best for a safe and happy Christmas and a brilliant, busy and productive 2016. To Brigadier Roger Noble and his wife and right hand, Danielle, and those two little balls of energy, we say thank you for your love of our city. We say thank you for your friendship and your generous nature. We say thank you for your professionalism and dedication. We wish you all the very best and hope that you will return to Townsville frequently. On a personal note, I also thank Brigadier Noble, who, along with Stuart Smith and Shane Caughey, were so patient with me as the member for Herbert. I thank you all for your love of history and of the brigade. To incoming Brigade Chris Field: lots of pictures, please, mate.

When you add in those who have served and called Townsville home, you get the real picture of just how big Defence is in my city. In Townsville, it is not six degrees of separation; it is one degree of separation. Townsville people are proud of all aspects of our city and all aspects of our community. Defence is a large part of that and when you add in the RSLs, the veterans and ex-service organisations, and you total up what they bring to our city, you get a picture of just what Defence and the men and women of our ADF mean to us, as a city and as a community. We will never, ever take that for granted.