Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) recognises:

(a) 14 September 2017 marks the 70th anniversary of Australia' s involvement in international peacekeeping; and

(b) the important and unique role peacekeepers and peacemakers provide in the transition from conflict to peace;

(2) notes that:

(a) over 70,000 Australians have been involved in peacekeeping and humanitarian operations since 1947; and

(b) Australia has had peacekeepers in the field with the United Nations continuously for over 50 years, through which:

(i) peacekeeping has involved members of Australian Defence Force, civilians and Australian police;

(ii) since 1964, Australian police have served in Cyprus and places as widely separated as Cambodia, Haiti, Mozambique, Bougainville and Timor; and

(iii) peacekeepers are often at the centre of dangerous conflicts and are exposed to the impacts of war;

(3) recognises those who are on peacekeeping missions at the moment, as we assist the United Nations with its mission in the Republic of South Sudan and looks forward to their safe return;

(4) congratulates all those who have worked hard to deliver the new Australian Peacekeeping Memorial Project on Anzac Parade; and

(5) remembers and pays tribute to all those who have served Australia in peacekeeping operations, those who have been wounded and the 14 Australians who lost their lives whilst on peacekeeping operations.

This motion recognises Australia's 70 years of involvement in peacekeeping. Australia has a long and proud history when it comes to our peacekeeping efforts around the world. This is especially the case given Australia's involvement started in Indonesia in 1947 as the very first group of UN military observers anywhere in the world and the first in the field. In the early years, Australia's involvement in peacekeeping was generally as unarmed military observers, promoting peace in areas of conflict. This unique role has developed over the years to include multinational military-based interventions into areas of conflict. While not always able to end such conflicts, our peacekeepers and peacemakers are often responsible for minimising the effects of conflict and building bridges between communities.

Australia's role in peacekeeping has seen the involvement of ADF personnel, Australian police and civilians. The size and scope of Australia's peacekeeping operations have developed over the years, with over 70,000 Australians involved in peacekeeping and humanitarian operations since 1947. For the past 50 years, Australia has had peacekeepers in the field with the United Nations. This has included operations in Cyprus, Cambodia, Haiti, Mozambique, Bougainville, Timor and many more. Involving themselves in the middle of dangerous conflict zones, our peacekeepers have worked tirelessly to improve conditions for communities that find themselves impacted by war and conflict. The efforts and self-sacrifice of our peacekeepers go a long way in providing greater comfort and stability for those men, women and children in these regions who often feel helpless in the environment which surrounds them. Whether it is providing talks between communities, greater stability, humanitarian aid or medical assistance to the men, women and children on the ground, Australia's peacekeeping efforts have provided greater peace to these previously embattled regions.

Peacekeeping missions present a wide variety of stresses, and I think it is important that we note that they also have short- and long-term effects on the health, and in particular the mental health, of those involved. Missions may involve experiences not unlike combat deployments, with personnel encountering numerous stressful and potentially traumatic events such as delivering humanitarian aid in volatile environments and coming under fire while witnessing atrocities. It was Australia's involvement in Rwanda in 1997 which highlighted the dangers in which our peacekeepers often find themselves. In their efforts to provide stability to a region in the midst of civil war, atrocities beyond imagination resulted in a genocide in which an estimated 800,000 to one million Rwandans were killed in just a hundred days. Stories of the atrocities committed are disturbing to hear. To think our peacekeepers lived and worked through such difficult times reminds us that not only are those who live in that country deeply affected, but those trying to bring peace, stability and harmony to the world can also be affected. These dangers were mimicked again in Timor, where a multinational operation was led by Major General Peter Cosgrove. It was known as INTERFET, the International Force for East Timor, and was organised under UNAMET, the United Nations Mission in East Timor. This operation was closer to home and saw Australia contribute 5,500 personnel to help those families who had been displaced from their homes or forced to leave under the threat of violence.

Australia's efforts in providing greater peace around the world have not come without sacrifice. It's important that we recognise those who have lost their lives whilst on peacekeeping missions; it has been revealed that the number of Australians who have died while peacekeeping is now 16. We must also think of those who have not been the same since and who have come back with injuries, whether they be physical or mental. We remember the men and women who have worked towards a peaceful nation. I would also like to recognise those who have worked very hard to create the Australian Peacekeeping Memorial, which was unveiled on Anzac Parade in Canberra. This was a long-term project and I would like to congratulate the Australian Peacekeeping Memorial Project for their tireless work. This is an important element to our contribution. Lest we forget.

Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is there a seconder for the motion?

Cathy O'Toole (Herbert, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I second the motion and reserve my right to speak.

Ann Sudmalis (Gilmore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 14 September, we celebrated the 70th anniversary of Australia's first peacekeeping mission in 1947. The Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Dan Tehan, along with current and former peacekeepers, their families and members of the public gathered together to honour Australian peacekeepers at a national service held at the new Australian Peacekeeping Memorial. The Australian Peacekeeping Memorial is a permanent reminder to pay tribute to those who served, those who were wounded and those who lost their lives. More than 70,000 Australians, military personnel, police and civilians have played important roles as part of peacekeeping and humanitarian operations since the beginning. They are well respected for their work, their relationship building and their dedication in places such as Indonesia and, recently, East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan.

We should never lose sight of the fact that our brave and dedicated peacekeepers are often at the centre of dangerous conflicts and are exposed to the impacts of war. In addition, we recognise those currently serving in the Republic of South Sudan and we look forward to their safe return. Last year, the United Nations published a report, The challenge of sustaining peace: report of the Advisory Group of Experts: for the 2015 Review of the United Nations Peacebuilding Architecture. The report emphasised that sustaining peace required coherence, engagement and coordination, including the important role that effective and responsive leadership in country operations can play in bringing together a common strategy for sustaining peace. Importantly, women's leadership and participation was noted for their role in preventing and resolving conflict as well as building peace. The United Nations also called upon member states and United Nations organisations to increase meaningful and inclusive participation by young people in their peace-building efforts. These align closely with local community perceptions and to regional expectations.

In the last three weeks, I have been privileged to meet women parliamentarians from the Pacific region while visiting the Solomon Islands and then, in Sri Lanka, to chair the general assembly of the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population Development and hear the same message of concern about world peace. The women attending the Pacific Women's Parliamentary Partnerships group believe we are not doing enough around the world to get more women engaged in the field of politics, nor are we managing to sustain those women who, once elected, then lose their seats. I might add that this applies to our own nation as well. Yet we are looked on as a political role model and a leader in our region. We have the responsibility of balancing the gender divide in Australia and our surrounding regions. The women from Papua New Guinea are determined to continue to encourage women into leadership and elected positions. I commend Julie Soso Akeke, Kessy Sawang, Loujaya Kouza and Rufina Peter as the frontrunners to gender empowerment in their country, as we collectively co-develop strategies to get women into parliament and keep them there.

In Sri Lanka, I was privileged to meet some dynamic young people who are demonstrating their willingness to take on a challenge, both in civil society and via the challenge of parliament. Anuradha Ekanayeke is a social services student in Colombo who will be working in the field of people with a disability. Sahinda Dulanja, who is a speaker of the Sri Lankan youth parliament, and Yashodha Gunathilake, who is the deputy minister for international youth affairs in the youth parliament, are both inspiring and passionate about developing a stable and peace-loving nation. Yashodha spoke of increasing the number of women entering the political world.

I am inspired to develop a youth parliament, even if we only begin in Gilmore. The world is developing programs and strategies to enhance peacekeeping through youth initiatives and women's empowerment. I wonder how we will celebrate our international peacekeeping contributions in another 70 years.

In the same way that we celebrate our efforts in world peacekeeping, we must absolutely stand by every woman and man in our Defence Force. Currently, we have around 58,000 Australians serving in the ADF. The average service time is 8½ years, and our annual loss of personnel is 5,200. Transitioning to civil life can be a challenge for some veterans, particularly the 1,400 or so who leave the ADF involuntarily. We have introduced the early management model to reduce claim-processing times and to allow more support to be provided for things like filling in forms, requesting mental health appointments or applying for a rental property. ADF members will no longer be discharged before their Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation and DVA claims are processed. All medical and training records will be released on retirement and immediately. An individual career coaching service and assessment during transition for up to 12 months will be provided.

Since the launch of the 'Defence Force experience desirable' flag on jobactive in September last year, more than 1,500 positions have been advertised and employment connections made. This is all part of honouring our veterans and making sure we look after them. I agree with Amanda: lest we forget.

Anne Stanley (Werriwa, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is my pleasure to rise to support the motion moved by the member for Kingston. Australia has performed peacekeeping roles since the newly-formed United Nations saw the first peacekeeping operation deployed to Indonesia in the independence struggle in 1947. The UN believes that peacekeeping has proven to be one of the most effective ways to assist countries to navigate the difficult path from conflict to peace at the earliest opportunity. This was the first instance of Australia's now 70 years involvement in international peacekeeping, a period that has seen many great Australians serving to assist the shift from conflict to peace in countries and regions around the world.

This international awareness assisted the Indonesians in gaining independence from the Netherlands, protected the South Koreans from invasion by the north, helped to placate some of the worst tensions in Kashmir, and ensured peace prevailed upon the agreement of the ceasefire in the Iran-Iraq war in 1988. Australian observers and peacekeepers played a major role in dealing with all these conflicts. Peacekeepers have also included non-military personnel such as Australian police officers assisting in Cyprus since 1964, bridging differences between Greek and Turkish communities, and medical staff who assisted locals and the UN overseas in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Australians have not only served with distinction but made significant differences in other regions around the world, in places as diverse as Korea, Israel, Congo, Kashmir, Lebanon, Namibia, Somalia, Kosovo, East Timor, Bougainville, Solomon Islands and so many more places.

Peacekeepers from all over the world play a unique and important role in supporting the transition in areas which have seen significant civil unrest, and often violence and other disturbances. Today's peacekeepers are called upon to not only maintain peace and security but also facilitate and maintain the political process, protect civilians, and assist in the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of former combatants. They support elections, human rights, and the restoration of the rule of law in places where the civilian population has been struggling without democracy and services for some time.

Over 70,000 Australians have performed with distinction and honour as peacekeepers around the globe. They are guided by three basic principles: consent of the parties, impartiality, and to only use force when required for self-defence. To be successful, they must be seen as legitimate and credible, and promote ownership of the process in the host country. Australia's peacekeepers come not only from our military services but also from the ranks of serving police officers and civilians who use their expertise to assist countries with rebuilding efforts and to support the civilian populations in war-torn areas. Australians have been called to lead these multinational operations since 1950. Amongst those who served are now Governor-General Major General Peter Cosgrove, who commanded the international force in East Timor in 1999, and several others who served with distinction and ensured that the objectives of the operation were met, as much as possible.

It is right to acknowledge that peacekeeping is a dangerous activity that unfortunately has resulted in the death and injury of Australians while serving overseas. Sixteen Australians have died while on peacekeeping operations—three in the last decade: Protective Service Officer Ronald Lewis in 2010, Craftsman Beau Pridue in September 2011, and Sergeant Brett Kinloch in February 2012. On 14 September, the Australian Peacekeeping Memorial was opened in Canberra. The memorial joins others on Anzac Parade and recognises those service personnel, police and civilians who have put their own safety at risk to support the objectives of the United Nations and help end the conflict and return areas to functioning democratic countries. The memorial has been planned for the last decade and was completed with donations and grants from the Australian government, some Australian companies, veterans organisations and other nations. The most recent donation was from Timor-Leste, where our peacekeepers have proved to be very helpful in the last few years.

I would like to thank all Australian peacekeepers for their bravery and selflessness in making the world a better and more peaceful place. I especially acknowledge the families of our peacekeepers. Without their support, our peacekeepers would not have been able to be so effective. I acknowledge those who made the supreme sacrifice for our safety, and I commend the motion to the House.

Stuart Robert (Fadden, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is a great pleasure to rise in this House and support the member opposite, the member for Kingston, on her motion recognising the 70th anniversary of Australia's first peacekeeping mission. As one of three or four peacekeepers in the House—a couple each side, which was tremendous to see—I have great pleasure in speaking on the motion and noting that Australian peacekeepers have served for 70 years. Over two million Australians have served in uniform since Federation. Of those, 70,000, or seven per cent, have served in the peacekeeping field in peacemaking, peace monitoring, peace enforcing and the full gamut of UN operations.

Our peacekeeping operations go back a long way. I have just gotten back from the Middle East—having been there far too many times—and I again touched base with our UNSTO forces. We've had peacekeepers on the three borders—to the east, north and south—of Israel for a long, long time. We have been guarding the peace, after the Camp David Accords and the Oslo Accords, in the Sinai Peninsula, where right now we have a whole bunch of Australian soldiers in Camp North, some 15 kilometres south of the Gaza Strip. We have 11 or 12 peacekeepers as part of the UNSTO, the UN Supervisory Truce Organization, monitoring the technical fence on the Golan Heights and north on the Lebanese borders. We have just withdrawn peacekeepers from RAMSI in the Solomon Islands, and, of course, after so many decades in Cyprus, the peacekeepers have come home. We continue to have 25 soldiers in the Sudan and soldiers, sailors and air men and women in other points right across the world.

We are a heavy-lifting nation when it comes to monitoring peace, especially when it comes to the Middle East. On 25 April 1915, when we stormed the beaches at Anzac Cove, a very small group of flyers had left Bombay en route for the Middle East and in June they landed at Basra in southern Iraq. In July 1915, the Mesopotamian Half Flight was in combat operations in the Battle of Baghdad. For 102 years we have had soldiers, sailors, air men and women, both permanent and reserve, in combat operations and peacekeeping in the Middle East.

Shortly, we'll celebrate the 100th anniversary of the charge of the 4th Light Horse Brigade at Beersheba, on 31 October. I have just come back from Israel, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration on 2 November 1917, which of course led to the liberation of Jerusalem on 11 December 1917. The Balfour Declaration would not have been possible without the Australian Light Horse. The liberation of Jerusalem at the end of the third battle of Gaza would not have been possible without the Australians. The move of the British mandate which would lead to the foundation of the state of Israel, I argue, would have been severely hampered without the work of the Australian Light Horse. So, for 102 years we have operated in the Middle East and we do so now, continually, through our peacekeepers.

My service was in Bougainville. Others in the House served in East Timor, Afghanistan and Somalia, respectively. It's a long chain of service men and women who have served their nation and served here in parliament, but today in the House—and I thank the member opposite for her motion—we rise as one to mark the 70th anniversary and salute the 70,000 of our finest men and women who have served and will continue to serve. The government that we replaced, this government and the government that will replace this government—governments of all persuasions—have always held dear the notion that we are part of the international community and that we will step up and do our part in the service of peace. We struggle for bipartisanship, but for this government—not more than those that came before or those that will come after—this is one area we can truly embrace, and we acknowledge the service that has been done and the service that will come.

Milton Dick (Oxley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise in this place to speak on the motion by my friend the member for Kingston, which acknowledges the incredible work and dedication of Australia's involvement over the past 70 years in international peacekeeping. Australian peacekeepers and peacemakers have played a pivotal role in the transition from conflict to peace in a number of operations, with over 70,000 Australians having been involved, as we've heard, in peacekeeping and humanitarian operations since 1947. In particular, I acknowledge and pay my respects to the 14 men and women who have had their lives tragically cut short while serving in peacekeeping missions.

Australian peacekeepers have been deployed in missions all over the globe, including operations serving in Cyprus, Cambodia, Haiti, Mozambique, Rwanda and Timor. During the 70 years of international peacekeeping, Australia has had peacekeepers in the field with the United Nations continuously for over 50 years. As we have heard, in Indonesia in 1947 Australians were part of the very first group of UN military observers anywhere in the world. We were, in fact, the first into the field. In more recent times, the 1990s proved to be the busiest decade in the history of multinational peacekeeping. For the first time, the Royal Australian Navy ships took part in a peacekeeping operation, enforcing UN imposed sanctions against Iraq, both before and after the Gulf War. For a period in 1993, Australia had over 2,000 peacekeepers in the field, with large contingents in Cambodia and Somalia. In 1999 Australia led a peace-enforcement operation which dwarfed all of its previous peacekeeping efforts, as East Timor achieved independence from Indonesia. To this day, Australia remains the largest contributor of personnel to the peacekeeping mission, with between 1,500 and 2,000 personnel, as well as landing craft and Black Hawk helicopters.

Australia has always been there to lend a helping hand and we continue that tradition today. Australian peacekeepers are currently serving in the Middle East UN Truce Supervision Organization, the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus and the UN Mission in the Republic of South Sudan. I was fortunate to see the work of the Australian Defence personnel and peacekeepers firsthand earlier this year when I had the opportunity as part of the ADF Parliamentary Program, alongside the member of Fisher, to spend time with members of our Defence Force serving in the Middle East. This included spending time at bases in the Middle East and Afghanistan with the men and women of the ADF to see, in person, the amazing work they do. This experience left me with an even greater respect for our Defence Force and peacekeeping personnel and the incredible sacrifices they make to serve our great country.

Currently, there are about 1,700 ADF personnel deployed in the Middle East region. Our troops are not only doing an incredible job representing our country but are also working side by side with the local forces to train and equip the Afghan army. This includes working with Afghan mentors and interpreters to better train the local army. Above all else, the professionalism and commitment of our serving personnel was clear to see 24/7. Our troops and peacekeepers are the best in the world. They are incredibly dedicated to serving our country. In the local community that I represent, there are many ADF families. It must be tough to be separated from loved ones while they serve. The reputation of the ADF and peacekeepers extends beyond our borders to accompanying nations that also have personnel serving in the region. I note that the member for Kingston congratulates all of those who have worked hard to deliver the new Australian Peacekeeping Memorial Project on Anzac Parade. The work undertaken by those from the Australian Peacekeeping Memorial Project respectfully honours all Australian peacekeepers and operations which Australia has taken part in.

Peacekeeping missions involve experiences not unlike combat deployments. Personnel may come under fire, and many witness traumatic events and atrocities whilst delivering humanitarian aid in volatile environments. I want to say to all the men and women of our peacekeeping services across the world: thank you for your service. You do our country proud, and we thank you for the sacrifices you make to make the world a better place.

Trevor Evans (Brisbane, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on this motion by the member for Kingston. I want to pay tribute to Australia's peacekeeping efforts around the world over the past seventy years. We should be very proud of the efforts of the men and women who've done such strong work on behalf of Australia to promote peace, stability and freedom in an often troubled world. It's important to comprehend the real difference that Australia's international peacekeeping efforts have made by contributing to a better world. The peace and stability that we support in so many areas has assisted some of the most vulnerable people on our planet to lead better lives, including people from developing economies and developing democracies. We have also contributed to efforts to support prosperity, trade, and people impacted by natural disasters. A few months ago, I moved a motion in this House paying tribute to the great work of the Australian Federal Police, who've contributed to Australia's peacekeeping efforts for many years alongside some of our closest friends and neighbours in the Pacific, such as the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. That's just one example. Australia has played a strong role in supporting peacekeeping efforts right around the world, and we continue to do so.

A few weeks ago, I had the huge honour and privilege of visiting Iraq and the Middle East, where I saw the contribution that Australia and the Australian Defence Force is making to end conflict and bring about peace in the Middle East. The visit was part of the ADF Parliamentary Program, which has provided many members of parliament before me with a unique insight into the day-to-day workings of our Defence Force, both at home and abroad, over the past 15 years. I wanted to say how humbling I found the experience, and how proud I am to be Australian when I reflect on the efforts of our Defence Force. I didn't just get to witness the diverse capabilities of our Defence Force in action; I was able to freely engage with serving men and women across all levels of our Defence Force, and I got to experience some of the challenges and the rewards of service life. I dined in the same mess halls, I bunked in the cabins, I sweated in my camos, and I participated in some of the same training, including some very confronting medical emergency training, with tourniquets and wound dressing, as well as training for chemical, bio and nuclear attacks, with gas masks and other equipment.

The Australian troops currently serving in the Middle East are working with our other coalition partners on land, at sea and in the air to contribute to better stability in the Middle East region. We're contributing to international efforts to defeat ISIS in Iraq and Syria, and as part of the NATO-led team that's training, advising and assisting in Afghanistan. We're also contributing to the maritime security and stability in the waters around the Middle East.

I want to take a moment to inform the House of some recent progress that I witnessed in Iraq. As has been well publicised since the Iraqi government and its army reclaimed the city of Mosul some months ago in fairly impressive style, ISIS is now on the back foot. Put frankly, the Iraqi government is winning, with the assistance of coalition forces, and it's winning much faster than was predicted. Other towns, cities and regions which ISIS had heavily fortified are being secured in mere days, and the main message, especially in the context of future peacekeeping efforts, is that ISIS may be defeated—in the military sense—in as little as the next six to 12 months. And that would be a notable success, both for the Middle East and right around the rest of the world, if it means that we get to expose and defeat the terrible ideology behind ISIS, and to reveal those insurgents to be the losers they are, in every sense of that word. The question of what happens next, after ISIS is defeated, is a live one, and the answer, I want to suggest, should be informed by our own successes over a long period of time in our international peacekeeping efforts. We don't want to suddenly disperse, and leave a power vacuum that allows other insurgents to arise. Sustaining peace doesn't necessarily come for free and it doesn't happen automatically. Yet when we start to consider the investments we've made in the Middle East over many generations, it reinforces the importance of what should happen next.

One senior ADF officer I spoke to in the Middle East told me that he doesn't want his children to have to go into Iraq and Afghanistan to redo what we've already sacrificed so much to achieve in this generation and previous generations. I found that argument especially compelling. As part of a broader effort around the world, I believe Australia should seriously consider making a contribution to help set up countries like Iraq to succeed into the future. I want to thank everyone I met in the Middle East for their frank, honest and revealing conversations about their experiences and the Iraqi commanders I got to meet for their feedback and appreciation for Australia's contribution. In closing, I pay tribute to the efforts of Australia's international peacekeeping forces over the past 70 years and I salute the sacrifices made by those who did not return. Lest we forget.

Cathy O'Toole (Herbert, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I commend the shadow minister for this motion. I rise in this place today to honour those who have served or have in some way been involved in international peacekeeping activities. On Thursday, 14 September 2017, Australia marked the 70th anniversary of our involvement in international peacekeeping and peacemaking. Australia first sent military observers on the United Nations Consular Commission to Indonesia in September 1947 and, over the intervening 70 years, over 70,000 Australians from military and civilian operatives have served around the world. Peacekeepers and peacemakers play an important role in providing support and assistance to victims of conflict, often in unstable and dangerous locations.

Australian peacekeepers have been engaged as military observers and have provided logistical support and monitored ceasefires. They have been involved in landmine clearance operations, supported democratic elections, facilitated the delivery of humanitarian aid and assisted in the repatriation of refugees. We must recognise the valuable work that our Australian peacekeepers and peacemakers do in order to assist in the transition from conflict to peace. The work that these men and women do is not easy, and they are often placed in very dangerous situations, especially in relation to human conflicts and natural disasters.

In the early years, Australia's peacekeepers were generally unarmed military observers, promoting peace indirectly by ensuring that neither side in a conflict could violate a ceasefire or commit atrocities without the knowledge of the United Nations and the world community. Over time, the nature of peacekeeping and peacemaking has evolved, requiring peacekeepers to manage more complex and multidimensional issues, such as those which emerged in the Middle East and Africa. Australian state and federal police forces have also had a long involvement in peacekeeping operations, beginning in 1964 with the first deployment to Cyprus, a peacekeeping commitment that continues to this very day.

Today military observers with a peacekeeping operation are more impartial and can use their military training to assess the situation more accurately, whilst allowing the media to play a role in reporting the situation. Australia's most recent peacekeeping role was as part of RAMSI, the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands, which ended earlier this year. At the request of the Solomon Islands government, 15 countries joined in partnership to assist the Solomon Islands to lay the foundations for long-term stability, security and prosperity. RAMSI is now solely a policing mission, working in partnership with the Royal Solomon Island Police Force to build a modern, effective and independent police force that has the confidence and support of the community. Australia leads the mission and contributes 95 per cent of its funding.

Australia has been actively involved in peace operations for 70 years and, through this time, has provided military and police personnel to more than 50 United Nations and other multilateral peace and security operations nations since 1947. Australian police have also served in Cambodia, Haiti, Mozambique, Bougainville and Timor. This tradition and duty continues to be carried out today, with Australians serving in peace and security operations around the globe. We currently have Australian peacekeepers serving in the Middle East in the UN Truce Supervision Organization, the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus and the UN Mission in the Republic of Southern Sudan. I look forward to these peacekeepers' safe return home to their families, friends and loved ones.

On Saturday, 23 September 2017, the Townsville branch of the Australian Peacekeeper and Peacemaker Veterans' Association, in collaboration with the Vietnam Veterans Association, held a 70th anniversary commemoration service at Deep Creek Retreat in Clare. I was privileged to be invited to participate in this commemoration, where we paid our respects to those who have served and to those who did not come home. We paid special tribute to those who are living with the memories of trauma and tragedy. The impact of the trauma was confirmed when I spoke to the men, women and families who attended. I will always fight to ensure that we provide services that assist them to address the trauma, feelings of loneliness, and isolation. We must recognise that those on peacekeeping and peacemaking missions are often in the centre of dangerous conflicts and are exposed to the atrocities of war. I pay my respects to the 16 Australians who have lost their lives during peacekeeping operations. I honour these brave men and women and extend sincere gratitude for the work they have accomplished during their missions.

Without a doubt, the role played by our peacekeepers and peacemakers has left our world a much better place. In times of turmoil, we turn to those courageous men and women and ask them to put their lives on the line for the benefit of our country and for the good of all nations. Lest we forget.

Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There being no further speakers for this debate at this time, the debate is adjourned. The resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.