Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to add just a few words of condolence in relation to the very sad passing of Major General Jim Molan. In doing so, I extend my sincere sympathies and condolences to Jim's family—to Anne, and to his children, Sarah, Erin, Felicity and Michael. It's a mark of the man that so many tremendous words have been spoken already in this place about Jim Molan, and I was struck, in the House earlier this week, when the Prime Minister and the opposition leader spoke so eloquently about an incredible gentleman and the contribution he'd made to our nation. But one of the stories that struck me the most was one by the Leader of the Opposition, where he said:

Jim considered himself to be an ordinary Australian, but he had an extraordinary life. He was a man who was at the centre of so many pivotal events which have shaped our nation, the region and, of course, the world: Papua New Guinea's independence, the fall of Suharto in Indonesia, evacuations from the Solomon Islands, peacekeeping in East Timor, counterinsurgency in Iraq, Australian bushfires, illegal maritime arrivals on our border and the rise of China.

And I'm sure Jim would appreciate this: I felt at that time he was Australia's Forrest Gump, popping up all around the world; where there was any major milestone, there was Jim Molan, in his career.

Jim was someone who we borrowed from his family for a distinguished military career. I know the member for Herbert, and the member for Menzies, here just a few moments ago, understand more than most the sacrifice of service and the demands it places on families. So I thank Jim's family for that.

He was an incredible gentleman, and someone who I believe showed this place how to stay true to your convictions, despite the many challenges that were placed in front of him. He was a thoughtful man, a humble man, a very authentic character.

I remember, towards the dying days of my time as veterans' minister, when it was quite obvious that I wasn't continuing in that role in that particular week, Jim was to be presented with a quilt—the great Aussie quilt. People were paying testimony to his career. And Jim was adamant I had to be there as well. He went out of his way to make sure I could come along and be part of that special occasion for him.

So, as veterans' minister, I had plenty of engagements with Jim, and I have to say: amongst all the members and senators in this place, when it came to issues surrounding veterans, he was one who deeply understood the challenges, respected the harm that military service could inflict upon individuals and families, but was also very optimistic and positive about military service. He recognised that members who'd served had certainly changed—had been shaped by that service—but it wasn't all bad. He was someone who wasn't prepared to feed our veterans of diet of helplessness and hopelessness but one of positivity and optimism. That leadership role that he played in the veterans community was often, perhaps, underappreciated in the broader community, but I can assure the veterans community that Jim was often in my office, often on my phone, and a very popular member of this place with my own staff, because he was constructive and practical and came up with good ideas about how we could do more to support our veterans and their families.

So I'm honoured to have served in this place with Jim. I think my colleagues who will speak here tonight as well would share my view that we are privileged to have served alongside such a great Australian. And I extend my condolences.

Phillip Thompson (Herbert, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A senator, a military officer, a mate, a family man, a patriot, a good Australian—that's who Jim Molan is. The tragic loss is something that was felt around this nation, by people who had served underneath him, people who'd worked alongside him in parliament, and, of course, his family. I reached out and spoke to a few of the members of his family at his funeral recently, and I told them that Jim, despite our age difference, was someone that I called a mate. Every anniversary of when I was wounded in Afghanistan, he would text or call, and say, 'How're you going, mate?' We would talk about veterans issues; we'd talk about defence; we'd talk about Australia, politics. The first thing out of every conversation when he would call would be, 'How's your girls?' checking in on my two daughters, Astin and Emery, and, of course, my wife. He was someone that cared, someone that understood that people would have differing opinions, and he understood his purpose in life, which was service.

He served with distinction through his military career, being awarded the Officer of the Order of Australia and a Distinguished Service Cross. He served well here in the Senate, not just taking up an argument or a fight but prosecuting our beliefs, our values, our thoughts. He was someone that had great concern for political direction in a very unique and challenging time around the world. He understood strategy, but he understood the operations. He was someone that didn't just think about what would happen if we needed to deploy troops; he would think about the strategy for it and what would happen during and after.

We've seen him lead with the US in Iraq. We've seen him be appointed as the envoy on Operation Sovereign Borders, which he helped design and then implement. And, in this place, he's written two books that outlay the serious concerns that he has, and that many of us have, and he also contributed to many committees. If you were in a defence or veterans committee and you needed to look for guidance or needed to look for someone that understood the leadership space but also understood what happens post service, you could look to Jim, and he would help you.

He cared so much for this country, and the only thing he cared more about than his country was his family. He loved his family. They know that. The way that he would speak about his children, his grandchildren and his wife made you feel warm, because he was pure. He didn't need to embellish anything; he didn't need to lie about anything. The only thing he didn't tell all of us was how unwell he was. But he would tell you that family is a great pillar of our society, and spending time with your family and the ones you love is so important. And, on the other hand, he would talk about the dangers around the world and the strategic direction we are in that may need to change to combat future threats.

He was such a great man, and I've called him, with the time difference, late at night, and he'd answer. Then we'd get into an hour-long conversation about something that probably would never eventuate, but it was something that I would like to talk about, and he was there to listen, provide advice, guidance and also a nice, calming hand, sometimes, when I would want to fly to Canberra and wring everyone's necks on some poor decision that was being made. He was a calming voice on that.

The soldiers that have served underneath him and served with him speak so highly of him. We've all heard stories about the private soldier not necessarily liking the commanding officer. I've been there. But the private soldier that served underneath him when CO 6 RAR said: 'Jim was the man. He was the guy I could turn to that would give fearless and frank advice and mentor us into what we needed to do in our future development and then future operations.' Other officers said that he was a leader, a natural leader, and someone that cared so greatly for his men and women that served underneath him. I've heard that throughout the country. But I think that one of Jim's greatest contributions to this parliament was in the last one, when he called me up and we were talking about the royal commission into veteran suicide. He said, 'I am a supporter, I know that we need to call it.' He knew and spoke with many family members who had lost their loved ones because of suicide. I think it kept him up at night knowing that there were soldiers, sailors and aviators out there that were dying by suicide.

Jim was always a good friend and a great mentor and he's a person that this parliament and the Senate will greatly miss. I offer my love and heartfelt condolences to his family, and may Jim rest in peace.

Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on this condolence motion for a man whose love of country inspired almost five decades of military and public service. Major-General Senator Jim Molan AO, DSC was a patriot in the true sense of the word and he was a servant to the very end. In his own words, democracy in both concept and practice was a significant part of his career and life, perhaps more so than for many Australians. A large proportion of this, over 40 years, was service rendered through a number of roles in the Australian Defence Force.

He upheld law and order by backing up the police in Papua New Guinea as that ally and nation's fledgling democracy was born. He represented Australia in Indonesia at the fall of the Suharto dictatorship and the rise of democratic government. He put his life in harm's way to protect Australians and locals in East Timor and did the same again in the Solomon Islands. He led operations in Iraq supporting a coalition force of some 300,000 men and women in uniform. His decisions as a military leader often meant the difference between life and death.

Perhaps more than any other man or woman to have walked this parliament's halls in recent years, Jim knew the cost of this democracy, which we so often take for granted, and he understood the importance of protecting it. After decades in Defence, Jim made national security his chief priority as a commentator, an adviser and a parliamentarian. He was the co-author of Operation Sovereign Borders, one of Australia's most successful law enforcement operations, stemming the flow of human traffickers and restoring border integrity.

Despite a rocky start to his Senate tenure with its rough and tumble of party politics, Jim worked tirelessly to make his time count. On his entry to the Senate, Australians by and large went about their lives as though living in the halcyon days. Little did we know that it was really a calm before the storm. Thanks in large part to Jim's fearless and fervent advocacy, we are now awake to danger on our doorstep, with war in Europe and increasing instability in the Asia-Pacific. I had the pleasure of hosting Jim in my electorate of Fisher. I asked Jim to come and speak with my veterans at the Caloundra RSL back in about 2019, I think, and he was very, very warmly received by the veterans in my community.

Most recently, Jim's honest account of the rise of communist China and its disruption to the global rules based order has been a challenge to those of us with power who can actually do something about it. He warned us about the new domains of battle, the areas of cyber, in space and through economic supply chains. He warned us of the importance of fuel security, economic resilience and maintaining trust in our democratic institutions. Jim knew that protecting Australians and their interests at home and abroad is the No. 1 priority of any government, chamber and elected member, and his push for a comprehensive national security strategy has been a personal inspiration and is a cause I know many in this House will join me in taking up.

I had the privilege of working with Jim on the defence subcommittee of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee for a number of years. When Jim wasn't in the room, either because he was off doing other things or he was crook, I would often hear his voice more or less saying, 'Ask them this question.' His questions were often pitched at bureaucrats or members of the Defence Force. He would say: 'Well, what are we preparing for? What's our state of readiness in relation to X, Y and Z?' He was an incredibly powerful advocate, particularly in relation to all matters defence.

I think one of the most enduring memories I will take away of Jim is his strident, his fervent desire to want to see Australia have a national security strategy. He would say: 'It's all very well and good to have a defence strategy, but if the country itself is not united in relation to its supply chains, in relation to its manufacturing, in relation to its liquid fuel security, in relation to cyber—the protection of this country is not just about bombs and bullets. It is a whole-of not government, but a whole-of-community, a whole-of-Australia responsibility.' Jim's legacy to this parliament, to this nation, will hopefully, even though it fell on deaf ears amongst his own colleagues, be an enduring national security strategy. Because unless we have a national security strategy we are effectively attempting to defend this country in silos. And I was very, very proud to move a motion for our LNP State Council earlier this year, which was endorsed, about the importance of a national security strategy.

Jim's legacy that he has left us is a great one. I will miss him dearly because he became a good friend. I expect that many Australians will not know just how indebted we are to Jim Molan for his bravery, his foresight and his service. Jim Molan: pilot, politician, patriot, military officer, senator, servant, fighter, father, friend. On behalf of the people of Fisher, I offer my condolences to Jim's remarkable family: his wife, Anne; his children, Erin, Felicity, Michael and Sarah; and his grandchildren. To you and to Jim Molan I say simply this: thank you for your service, Jim. Rest easy, soldier, your work here is done. Be at peace. You have been a good and faithful servant. Vale, Jim Molan.

Karen Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Home Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's a testament to both the enormity of the contribution he made and the sheer decency of his nature that so many on both sides of the House have sought to contribute to this condolence motion on the passing of the great Jim Molan. I certainly wanted to ensure that I added my voice, and that of my community on the southern Gold Coast, to those paying tribute to a thorough gentleman and a true patriot.

Jim worked tirelessly in the national interest for so many decades, serving our nation on the battlefield, in the community and in the political arena. Many people I have spoken with in the weeks since Jim's passing have remarked on what an enormous loss to our nation it is that we won't have his wise counsel for the challenging times to come.

Jim understood the risks to our national security and our sovereignty, and he had a very honest and practical approach to being realistically prepared to deal with the ever-evolving geopolitical landscape. He was a realist about the times we live in, but, as the leader has described him, Jim was an optimist about humanity. That's why I think there has been such an outpouring of warmth and respect for him. He cared about people and believed in the goodness of humanity. That was the hallmark of his service and what helped drive him to contribute to his community and to our nation.

Jim had a very distinguished military career which saw him rise to the rank of Major General. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and the Legion of Merit by the Australian and US governments respectively, adding to the Order of Australia he received for his earlier service in Indonesia and in East Timor. There have been countless stories of Jim's bravery, compassion and unflinching leadership during his decades serving our nation in the Army.

Jim's contribution I am most familiar with is the work that he did following the coalition's return to government in 2013 when Jim was asked by Prime Minister Tony Abbott to develop Operation Sovereign Borders. He achieved what at the time was thought impossible by many in politics and in the media: he stopped the boats. Now is not the time to make political points but it is instructive that we remember the significance of what was achieved with Operation Sovereign Borders after a flood of more than 820 illegal boats and over 50,000 unauthorised arrivals. With his methodical approach and wealth of experience, Jim worked with the Australian government to break the people smugglers' business model, prevent further tragic deaths of asylum seekers at sea and restore the integrity of Australia's maritime security. It is undoubtedly one of the most significant policy successes in our nation's history. Jim was so humble and he was kind. When he discussed these issues with my staff and also with me when I was home affairs minister and while we worked to protect the integrity of the system he actually developed. That is the measure of a very remarkable man.

Jim faced many tough situations in his lifetime. He never ever let ego get in the way of outcome and he never ever complained. We all know that politics can be a very brutal business but it is not surprising, given what he had faced outside the parliament, that Jim took the ups and downs of politics in his stride.

One of the things I was and remain very pleased about was that he was ultimately returned to the Senate. He was one of the most talented and dedicated people to ever grace that chamber. So on behalf of my local community, I thank Jim, and acknowledge his massive contribution to our nation. I also offer heartfelt condolences to Jim's family—his loving wife, Anne, his daughters Sarah, Erin and Felicity, and his son, Michael, along with his five grandchildren. To them I say: your loss is immense but may you all find some comfort in the enormous respect, regard and fondness expressed in this debate for Jim. Our nation will be forever indebted to Jim and his contribution. May we always remember and may he rest in peace.

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When you look at the Australian Army website, there on the first page, it has 'Defending Australia and our Interests'. The online page reads:

The ADF provides a formidable military capability built upon expertly-trained personnel and technically-advanced vessels, vehicles, aircraft and weapons. Working in close cooperation, the Navy, Army and Air Force are tasked with the defence of: our nation, its borders and coastline—

Jim Molan.

our people and their values—

That is Jim Molan too.

and our way of life.

Of course, Jim's name is not on the website. I added that in, because each of those three points on defencejobs.gov.au refers to Jim Molan. He was all about our nation, its borders and coastline. Look at Operation Sovereign Borders. He helped stop the boats. He was all about our people and their values. No-one fought harder for those things than Jim Molan in his time in this place. He was one of the fiercest protectors of our way of life, our values, our principles. He was a soldier, a parliamentarian, a leader, a patriot and, most importantly, a dedicated family man and friend.

Jim's passing on 16 January aged 72 left a large hole in the Liberal Party, in the coalition and in our parliament. Indeed, his 72 years were packed with adventure, with a fierce fighting quality. We all know of his love for his wife, Anne; his daughters, Sarah, Erin and Felicity; his son, Michael; his five grandchildren; his extended family; and his loved ones.

Jim filled a couple of casual vacancies. The first in December 2017 was when Fiona Nash, a National, fell foul of that situation where people who were deemed to have dual nationality had to leave the parliament. I see the member for New England here. He had to leave the parliament but he got back in. Fiona Nash chose not to, and Jim filled that vacancy. If you went to the National party room, we would have liked a National to fill that vacancy. But if there was going to be one person to fill it who wasn't a National, it would have been Jim Molan. Indeed, he filled that position until June 2019. Come the 2019 election, Jim was in an unwinnable spot. Perin Davey filled the No. 3 spot on the coalition ticket, as per the coalition arrangements. Jim decided to go it alone. That caused a bit of consternation amongst the Nationals but, again, if anybody was going to win a spot, it would have been Jim Molan.

I was Deputy Prime Minister at the time. I can remember turning up in my own home town of Wagga Wagga. I approached this election booth in the west of the city and there was a sea of blue everywhere. I thought, 'Who can this be? There is no candidate with blue in my home town. This is a Nationals stronghold.' Of course, it was Jim. He had banners, he had corflutes and he had people donned in blue T-shirts who outnumbered the Nationals almost 10 to one. It was like an army. Jim was back in the army and he was fighting for his position. At last count—I stand to be corrected—he got about 132,000 first-preference votes. It was more than anybody in the lower house, more than anybody in the upper house, more than anybody in probably Australian political history. It is a bit of a quirk of the Senate system that he actually did not get elected. I think he needed something like 600,000 votes. But 132,000 first-preference votes in New South Wales shows the popularity of the man, shows the strength of the man, shows how people were willing to go with Jim. As I said, he did not get elected. Perin Davey did and she is doing an outstanding job now as deputy leader of the Nationals federally. But Jim then did fill a Senate vacancy when Arthur Sinodinos resigned. Arthur wasn't well. He went on and did some great things in the US, of course, as our ambassador.

Probably my favourite memory of Jim was at a protest rally, would you believe? It was actually supposed to be the opening of the Merimbula Airport back on 18 December 2019. We had Andrew Constance there as the state Liberal member for Bega, we had now member for Eden-Monaro, Kristy McBain, there as the Bega Valley Shire Council mayor, and we had Jim as the duty senator. As I was trying to make this wonderful announcement as the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development about the upgrade to the Merimbula Airport, there were these climate protesters who thought their voices and their cause were far more important than anything we were doing that day. They were rowdy, they were noisy, they were downright rude, and Jim wasn't having anything of it. You can see in the video Jim sort of moving sideways and edging, in a polite but very firm way, these protesters out of the way so that they couldn't disrupt my wise words. It is just a classic video to watch Jim at his finest. Indeed, the protesters didn't get anywhere near us because Jim made sure of it. He was a fine fellow. I know everybody on this side loved him. We just did, because he said what he thought and he meant what he said.

In this day and age when there are some sensitive Nellies in this place—there truly are people who should not be silent when they ought to speak—Jim would never fall into that category. Jim spoke his mind. When some people were all too scared or all too timid to actually say what they thought about a hot topic of discussion at the time, Jim was the first to lead the charge, just like he would have been in his army career and just like he was when he led Operation Sovereign Borders. Even with his book, Danger on our Doorstep, it was probably unpopular at the time for some to turn up to that book launch, but I did. I'm sure others did. I know the member for New England absolutely would have. I was pleased that the now opposition leader, Peter Dutton, turned up and said some fine words, because we respected Jim and we respected his authenticity. In this day and age where almost too many people fall into the trap of just saying what they think the media wants to hear and probably go along with the flow of what might get them a few likes on Facebook but not really appeal to those quiet Australians, Jim was out there fighting the good fight.

I do offer my heartfelt condolences and my absolute prayers to his family, to the Liberal Party and to the coalition, because we've lost a great warrior. We've lost a great statesman. I know many Australian Army members—I represent Kapooka where all the recruits go through—and I know how fondly he's thought of in the military, as he should be. May his legacy live long in all of those who are honoured and privileged to serve in this place on behalf of the coalition, because there are some fights to be fought and won. May his spirit loom large over us when we have those debates, and may we long remember fondly his contribution to this place and to this nation. Vale, Jim Molan.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I acknowledge the fine words of the former speaker, the member for Riverina. Right at the outset I'd like to say to Anne, Sarah, Erin, Felicity, Michael and the grandchildren the reason this is a longer condolence motion than most people ever get in this place is that your father and grandfather and husband was held in such high esteem by his colleagues and by the Australian people.

In life there are three types of people. There are the ones who throw papers out the window of the car. You can't stop them; they just chuck them out. I don't know why they do it. They just do it. Then you get people who always complain about people who throw papers out the window of the car. They're always talking about the terrible person who throws papers out. But there's a really special small group and they're called the 'paper picker-uppers'. They actually stop the car, get out and pick up the papers. They're the people that make a nation great. Jim Molan was a perfect example of a paper picker-upper. He spent his life picking up papers for our nation. He served till the end. When he knew he was dying he kept serving because this country and that flag was more important than him. And the reason he got himself into the positions of influence was to look after Australia. That's why he did it. He loved Australia, and he was going to protect our nation.

Right from the outset he was blessed. God bless him, he was a good-looking fellow. I saw the photos of him when he was young. He was a good-looking bloke. I would hate to be in a competition with him at a dance; he would come first every time. He was a good-looking bloke and he was talented. He was a really good AFL player yet he managed also to have an exemplary record as a family man, looking after his family, being a loving husband to Anne and being a great father to his children. What an incredibly full life.

I suppose I also want to acknowledge what the member for Riverina said. Yes, when he first got elected, when Fiona Nash lost the job, I was kind of angry. I was going, 'Surely that's a Nat position and a Nat person should be filling that position.' I said: 'I don't know who this Jim Molan is. As far as I'm concerned, it should be another Nat who gets up in that position.' So I started from the premise of not wanting to like him, but I was disabused of that belief very quickly because I could see: 'This guy is full bottle. This is good for our nation.'

His biggest thing was to go against the zeitgeist and to be completely truthful with the Australian people. Danger On Our Doorstep was a classic example—but only one, and probably one of the last examples—of how Jim would say, 'Wake up.' He could break through the political correctness and just hit you between the eyes and say: 'Do you understand what is happening? Do you understand the threat this nation is under? Do you understand what the intentions of the Communist Party in China are? Do you know what that will mean for your children?'—or for his children. 'If their views prevail and our life fails, what's the life that they are going to have? So wake up. Get serious. Switch on. Put aside the political correctness and be truthful about the threat that's before you.' And I thought that was exemplary.

Both the member for Riverina and I have been deputy chair of the National Security Committee, an incredible honour. Now, you have a lot of advisers. I had one unpaid-for adviser who was constantly on the phone, and that was one Jim Molan, telling me everything that he needed to happen. Later on he became another adviser to one Vikki Campion about everything she should write, because he wanted his message out. He never went to sleep without thinking about this nation, without thinking, 'You've got to hear this; you've got to do this.' He could have just retired. He could have just struck his hoochie, as they would say in the Army, put it back in with his kit and gone home. He could have done that, but he didn't. He kept fighting for our nation.

I campaigned with him in Eden-Monaro. He was a crook man. He was crook, and we were going around with the candidate trying to see if we could get this candidate up in Eden-Monaro. He never complained. He never turned up and said: 'I feel really sick. I feel down in the chops. I'm not up to this today.' He just muscled on. He got over it and got out there and did it for Australia.

Now, I think the mark of so many people here—because let's be honest. For most of us, all the people here, if I said, 'Name all the people who were in the parliament when you arrived,' you won't be able to give their names; you'd be lucky if you got half of them. Most people go through here and are forgotten about. Not Jim. He won't be. He won't be forgotten.

Without being too grandiose, but to borrow a metaphor, not a simile: when Abraham Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address, it didn't even make the papers. It was like a non-event:'Oh, and this other bloke called Lincoln gave a speech and blah, blah, but don't worry about that.' They gave this marvellous discourse about this flowery BS speech that was given by some general, and I can't even remember his name. But the one that they remember now is Lincoln's, because a good career, like a good wine, matures over time and is appreciated by the appropriate palates who can understand the value that was in that person's life, and they look at that person's life through the prism of patriotism—not nationalism, which is unguided belief in your nation, but patriotism, a love of your nation. Jim had a love of Australia.

And so, to Jim, who railed against so much that has already been said here, where we sanitise to the point of a lie—so much is said. He was so refreshing that he would just say the truth. To Jim, who wanted to be known as 'Jim', not as 'sir', not as his rank—he wanted to be known as Jim. He was not full of himself. He believed in himself, which you must do, but he was not full of himself. He walked out of this place and said, 'I want to be known as Jim.' Well, Jim, you have been a faithful servant, and now it is time for your rest. You have been a great adornment to our nation. You'll be so sadly missed. You have been a patriot, you have been a father and a grandfather, and you have brought honour. You have brought honour to this parliament and you have brought honour to your family. May you rest in peace, old mate.

Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to add my words to those that have come before, especially from the member for New England and the member for Riverina, and pay my condolences to the family of Jim Molan AO, DSC, in particular to his wife, Anne; his children, Sarah, Erin, Felicity and Michael; and his grandchildren. I had the privilege to attend the funeral of Jim on 25 January. It was one of those funerals where at the end of it you walked away and you thought to yourself, 'If I get one-hundredth of the send-off that has just been given to that man, then I've lived my life to its fullest.' It was the most wonderful, wonderful tribute to a life well lived that you could ever see. All facets of Jim's life were on display in a humble, beautiful and loving way. It was quite extraordinary. The way that the family spoke about Jim as the family man—the love that you saw from that family towards Jim was all too apparent and was incredibly moving. Those who had served with him spoke with respect but spoke also with a sense of humour, because, although he was a straight-up-and-down man of integrity, Jim also had a great sense of humour, and that came through as well.

It was wonderful to hear the words of Peter Dutton, who spoke beautifully about Jim's contribution to the parliament and the courage that he showed. As people have said, Jim said what he thought, but he said it thoughtfully. That is incredibly important, because we can all say what we think, but the mark of a true representative is someone who says what they think but says it thoughtfully, and Jim did that.

I'll never forget the first time I met Jim. I was newly appointed as the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Minister for Defence Personnel, and I was asked to go to a branch meeting in Bungendore. Jim always had an interest in the electorate of Eden-Monaro, and he came to this branch meeting. I'll never forget this big man walking in, walking up, saying, 'Hello,' putting his big hand out and shaking it, looking me in the eye and saying: 'I'm Jim. Lovely to meet you.' And he had such a warmth and a smile that you immediately just went, 'I like you. I like you.' It was quite incredible. I still remember that handshake. Right through my career here in this parliament, every interaction I had with Jim was like that.

My lasting memory was Jim wanting to make sure that we did that comprehensive national security strategy. My hope is that amongst all of us—I must say it's been wonderful to hear the contribution from our National Party friends today, because I don't think I've seen so much love for the Liberal Party in a long, long time! But I've got to say I think it's beholden on all of us now, especially on the coalition side, to make sure that that comes to fruition. My hope is that at the next election, as part of our policy, we have a comprehensive national security strategy. I think that would be a great way to honour Jim's legacy. I hope we can make sure that happens.

Jim was a soldier. He was a volunteer, and the stories of his volunteerism, especially fighting fires and doing so from the air, were wonderful to hear. That was a part that I hadn't really understood—how he was involved in that volunteer side, about keeping our community safe. As all of us know, especially those who represent regional and rural areas, that volunteerism absolutely is essential as to who we are and how we make sure that our communities continue to survive and flourish.

He was a senator, but he wasn't just a senator; he was a representative. He represented the people, he represented the party, he represented the membership of the Liberal Party, and people were proud that he was their representative. They were proud he was their representative. You never heard anyone say that they didn't think that Jim had all the fine qualities and attributes that you need to be a representative—and that is what he was.

He was also a writer. To those of us who write—and some of us write the odd opinion piece; some of us might write a little bit longer, but Jim wrote books, and, as we've heard previously, very good, very sound, very thoughtful books on very, very important issues. The service that he showed to this nation, that even on his deathbed he wanted to put words down that would advantage our nation going forward and make sure that we continued to think about the issues which will define not only Australia but the Indo-Pacific region going forward—that he was doing that on his deathbed is the absolute epitome of everything that Jim stood for.

To his family, can I once again say how deeply, deeply sorry I am that Jim has left us, I think still with so much to give. But you can know in your hearts that, for every minute that he was on this earth, he gave his all and made a contribution that all of us in this place would love to in some way be able to follow. May he rest in peace.

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm very pleased to rise to make my contribution to this condolence motion, acknowledging the memory and the contribution of the late Senator Jim Molan AO, DSC, former major general in the Australian Army.

First of all, amongst his many characteristics, Jim Molan was a family man. He was very proud of his family, and I certainly want to express my condolences to his wife, Anne; daughters, Sarah, Erin and Felicity; son, Michael; and five grandchildren. Each of his children has built a successful career, but, as minister for communications, I had the privilege of working with Jim's daughter Erin on the question of online safety, where she's been a very strong advocate. And she very effectively lent her standing in the community to a very, very important area of public policy. The Online Safety Act that we were able to pass through the parliament in 2021 owed its success in material measure, in significant measure, to the advocacy and support of Erin Molan. I know that Jim was very, very proud of the work that Erin did in this area, as he was very proud of all his children. He consistently posted on social media about the work that Erin was doing in these online safety reforms.

Of course, while Jim Molan was first and foremost a family man, he was also a very distinguished and committed Australian patriot, whether through his service over many years in our armed forces or his services in our parliament.

He was a man of very high integrity who always put the interests of his constituents and of the nation at the very centre of his concerns. He served our country with distinction as a major-general in the Australian Defence Force. He played a crucial role in shaping our military strategies, and his role as chief of operations in Iraq was a high point of his career. He represented Australia with great distinction in that multinational force and in the work and the deliberations that went on in directing those extensive operations.

As is well known, his military expertise in developing and executing what became known as Operation Sovereign Borders was drawn upon by the Liberal-National government and, indeed, before that in opposition. We were as an opposition and subsequently as the government determined to stop the dangerous trade of the people smugglers. We knew that regrettably many lives were lost as desperate people took journeys that were organised by criminal gangs, and it was very important that this be stopped in a way that was effective, humane and consistent with Australian values.

Jim's advice on the difficult work of developing and implementing those policies was of the first importance. Prime Minister Abbott appointed him special envoy for Operation Sovereign Borders. That allowed him to travel, particularly across South-East Asia, to work with like-minded nations and regional partners to develop and implement the anti-people-smuggling measures that were so important. Jim's military career was long and storied. He was held in high esteem by his colleagues, from infantrymen to his fellow senior officers, and he was recognised rightly for his bravery and his leadership.

Subsequent to his time in the military he became involved in politics. He set out to familiarise himself with the complex beast that is the New South Wales division of the Liberal Party, and he did so with great success. Many people seek to be preselected to a winnable spot on the Liberal Party's New South Wales Senate ticket, but very few people achieve it. Jim managed to achieve it in a remarkably short period of time and he built up a cadre of devoted supporters across the entire New South Wales division of the party. Once he got to the Senate he brought to bear his enormous wealth of knowledge and experience. He was a respected voice on many important issues: defence, foreign affairs and immigration. His contributions to the Senate and to our national discourse will have a lasting impact on our national policies.

Just last year he released his second book, Danger On Our Doorstep regarding the security environment in the Indo-Pacific. His first book, Running the War in Iraq, gave his insider account of the very senior role he played in that conflict and in the multinational force which ultimately included some 300,000 troops from many countries.

As well as his characteristic as a family man and his distinguished achievements as both a military man and a politician, I want to conclude with some observations about Jim's character and the way that he conducted himself and the impact that he had on others. Jim was a kind and generous man and formed friendships easily. He was a towering figure figuratively and literally, and he was known for his infectious smile, warm personality and genuine concern for others.

Jim was known to treat everybody with good grace and respect. Certainly I well recollect the time when he came to address the Bradfield federal electorate conference in my electorate. He was very warmly received by my local Liberal Party members, and that is indicative of the regard in which he was held amongst Liberal Party numbers and amongst members of the community more broadly—certainly across the North Shore of Sydney but across New South Wales.

At Jim's funeral recently in Canberra, there were many stories told of his character and the respect in which was held by others. One of those stories concerned his focus on ensuring that his troops were fit and disciplined and prepared for what conflict might bring, through his practice of holding 24-hour marches with just five minutes rest each hour. After the formal part of the funeral I caught up with Father Rob Sutherland, who's well known to me as a former rector of St John's church in Gordon in my electorate, and he's a longstanding ADF chaplain. Rob told me something I hadn't known before: that he had served under Jim's leadership and he had personal experience of the 24-hour marches. He was able to confirm that they had in fact occurred. But Rob also told me how Jim had backed him strongly when Rob first set out to transition towards a career as an Australian Defence Force chaplain. Like the hundreds of people at that service, Rob Sutherland's life was touched positively by Jim Molan, and the number of people who turned out was a strong indicator of the lives that he had impacted. Jim Molan's legacy will live on through the countless Australians he's helped and through the many important causes he has championed.

Let me close by again expressing my condolences to Jim's family; to all who worked with him in the Australian Defence Force; to his staff here in parliament; and to my parliamentary colleagues. Collectively, all of us will greatly miss him and remember and honour his memory.

Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 16 January, Australia lost an accomplished New South Wales senator, a proud military man and a very vocal patriot. At the time when we heard the news, I was in Washington, DC, with a parliamentary delegation, and we stopped to mark Jim's passing. I said some words. The member for Menzies also said some words, as did the member for Moncrieff, and we stopped and saluted his service and his life.

He was truly a towering man, a towering figure in this parliament. As an Australian Army officer who held one of the most senior positions in decades, as the chief of operations in the Iraq War, Senator Molan brought immense experience into this place. Jim Molan served in the ADF for 40 years, from 1968 to 2008, retiring at the rank of major general. I only served for 13 years, but Jim and I did serve together in Holsworthy in New South Wales. Honourable members would be aware of that base. He was an infantryman like me. It's just that I was the most junior officer in Holsworthy and Jim, as the commander of the 1st Brigade, was the most senior officer at Holsworthy Barracks at that time. So it was there that I met him for the first time.

He's renowned for his connection and work with Indonesia. At that time in the paratrooper team, we had some visiting Indonesian officers, and they wanted to meet Jim Molan. So, because I spoke a bit of Bahasa Indonesia, I was asked to see if we could get a meeting with this big figure for these Indonesian junior officers. They knew all about him from his time in Indonesia. And it was when I was introducing those young Indonesian officers to the brigade commander, Jim Molan, a brigadier at the time, that I really got the first sense for how big—not only physically but how large a figure as a commander—he was.

Jim Molan knew Indonesia very well. Throughout his career he spent significant time there, but he also, importantly, commanded Australian Army units, ranging from platoons of 30 soldiers to divisions of 1,500 soldiers, as his career progressed. He was an infanteer, but he was also a helicopter pilot—so very multi-talented. For that work I mentioned that he did in Iraq, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross by Australia and the US Legion of Merit.

Throughout his career he served in posts and operations including: Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Indonesia as I mentioned, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, Germany, the United States and, of course, Iraq. In fact, one day here in Canberra when I was returning from a briefing at Joint Operations Command, at JOC out at Bungendore where many honourable members have been to and received briefings, I came back here to the house in a car with Jim. He was very generous in sharing his experiences as a young officer, particularly his early service with the 1st Battalion of the Pacific Islands Regiment in PNG and how much he learned as a junior officer at that time.

On operations such as East Timor, during our intervention, he was known for putting himself in physical danger to save locals and Australians from harm whether they be civilian, uniform, Timorese, Australian or from any other country. Jim's friend Greg Sheridan wrote in the Australian newspaper that he was a great, brave and straight character. He said:

More than anyone I've known, in Jim Molan there was not a sliver of daylight between what he said and what he did.

I can certainly believe that. While Jim and I were on different sides of politics, I admired in him his commitment to service and his tireless advocacy on strengthening our Australian Defence Force.

Now many are much better placed than me to comment on Jim's character because they knew him a lot better, and I acknowledge all of the previous speakers and their experiences with Jim. I would also just pay tribute, though, to what was obvious, and that was his abiding passion. And that, as far as I could see, was the defence of Australia. I remember from the moment that I heard that he was leaving the Army—I kept on eye on him, of course—I thought that he might go into politics. I was interested to hear what he had to say free from the ADF. And he obviously became a very strong voice on defence matters.

The accounts of Greg Sheridan and other sources are confirmed by Senator Molan's 2022 book Danger On Our Doorstep, which analyses the risks of a major regional war. We know that Senator Molan was immensely frustrated that his repeated warnings on defence, from his perspective, were not being taken seriously. I did meet with him in his office to discuss his concerns because I was keen to learn. I knew of him. I knew we might not see eye to eye on everything, but I was keen to learn and, essentially, his warnings went as follows. He saw the ADF as being designed not to have any strategic effects independently of the United States and that was reinforcing our dependence by building a one-shot force. That was a lesson that he drew from his time in command in Iraq. In the book, Senator Molan forcefully argued that we are preparing for the wrong war if we still define the role of the ADF as deploying small, politically symbolic forces to coalition operations in far-flung theatres like Iraq and Afghanistan. It's important to note that Senator Molan was fair-minded and he was not limited to always making a partisan calculation on this question. From what I saw, he equally critiqued the coalition's record as well as that of our side of the House when it came to defence policy.

Now, I raise this question because Jim Molan's thinking on how to defend Australia if there is a next war—and we know from history that's likely—but, as he set out in that book, and what he set out in that book and the thinking that he has assisted to bring about in that book, actually may be one of his greatest strategic legacies. It is a legacy that we, on all sides of the House and Senate, can and should learn from. It's a contribution that should be learned from. I think he was, in the truest sense of the words, a national-interest-first politician.

He leaves behind a great and painful void in his family, a few of them that I've met. Obviously, the void is also with his colleagues and staff in this parliament. I salute him for his long service to our country, and, on behalf of my family and myself, send our deepest condolences to Jim's wife, Anne; daughters Sarah, Erin and Felicity; his son, Michael; his five grandchildren; and the rest of his family. So, vale, Senator Jim Molan AO, DSC. Your duty done. Rest in peace.

Andrew Hastie (Canning, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's an honour this evening to remember the late Senator Jim Molan in this place. Jim was a friend, he was a colleague, and he was a patriot. But he was also a man of immense warmth and energy, and I want to focus on that aspect of his character tonight. The warmth and energy is my enduring memory of him, from my first encounter to our final goodbye late last year.

I first met Jim in 2005 as an officer cadet at the Australian Defence Force Academy. I'd started a history society and we were after speakers to come and speak to the cadets, and Jim had just come back from Iraq, where he was the commanding general or running operations over there, and he took up the offer. He didn't have to, but he did. He was generous with his time. He came and spoke to us about his efforts running the coalition over there. I remember meeting him at the ADFA flagpole all those years ago, and he gave me a big handshake, a big warm smile, and went straight to nicknames. He said, 'G'day, Andy, great to be here, mate,' instantly putting me at ease. He was a senior officer at that time, but that was his way with people. His enthusiasm gave energy and confidence to others.

When we served in the parliament more than a decade later, Jim was the same man, brimming with energy, ideas and goodwill. I remember, on the intelligence committee, working with Jim. Having hip replacements, working through painkillers—none of that stopped him; he kept contributing. I remember thinking to myself, 'If I've got that much energy at his age, I'll be a very lucky man.'

Jim's contribution in this parliament, I think, was that he was singularly focused on Australia's security, devoting his final years to sounding the bell on areas of concern, from national strategy to supply chain resilience. In all of this, Jim was direct about the threats to Australia, even if his straight talk made people uncomfortable, which it did. Tough conversations are never easy, but Jim was always a soldier at heart, by vocation and instinct. He was bluff and straightforward, and his duty came first. I think that's why he wrote and finished Danger on our Doorstep while battling cancer. He believed that Australia—the public; that's who the book was aimed at—needed to have the tough conversation about our strategic circumstances. He didn't give much away while he was battling cancer, but, even as the shadows lengthened, he finished the mission of completing that book. I think that will be his lasting contribution to the public discussion about where we go from here over the next decade and beyond.

As Jim and I parted ways in parliament late last year, the warmth was there. The energy was growing dim, I must say, but he was still that same man that I'd met all those years ago as a cadet. I didn't know it at the time, but that was his way of saying goodbye. He was moving around the building giving people a warm smile and a big handshake, and that was his way of saying goodbye, knowing that end was near. He still had much to contribute to public life. I'm grateful for the ways he strengthened me and strengthened other colleagues. I'm grateful for the intellectual contribution he made to public life, and I think our nation has lost a great soldier, a thinker and a genuine and true servant of the Australian people. My thoughts and prayers remain with his wife, Anne; his children; and the broader Molan family.

David Coleman (Banks, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to make a contribution to the condolence motion for Senator Jim Molan AO, DSC and in particular to offer my condolences to his wife, Anne, and children, Sarah, Erin, Felicity and Michael. Jim, obviously, had an extensive and truly remarkable career, and numerous speakers on this condolence motion have gone through that career over many decades and the extraordinary service to Australia that it entailed. But, while those career achievements are extraordinary, they are not the measure of the man. He was a much bigger figure than the sum of those achievements.

He showed incredible courage in his life in a way that few of us are ever required to. He had vision that few of us have—a capacity to see years ahead to the deepest strategic challenges facing Australia. And he had great decency. He cared about people. He was easy to talk to. He was unaffected by his high positions—he was never superior. He was always a very, very decent person. Most importantly, as the Leader of the Opposition observed, his greatest love was for his family, who are such a great credit to him. He was honest, decent and always willing to help others. He led a remarkable life, and he was a complete man. I wish his family my deepest condolences.

Andrew Gee (Calare, National Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's an honour, albeit a very sad one, to make a contribution to this motion for our colleague Jim Molan AO, DSC. Jim was a soldier, a pilot, an author, a volunteer firefighter, a senator, a family man and somebody I was very proud to call my friend. He was born in Melbourne on 11 April 1950 to Noni and World War II veteran Andrew. Jim dreamt of being a soldier from his early days. In January 1968, during the Vietnam War, Jim was admitted to Duntroon—the very place we farewelled him only weeks ago, some 55 years later. Jim completed university degrees in arts and economics and later became fluent in Indonesian. He served in the Royal Australian Infantry Corps, rising through the ranks of the 1st, 3rd and 6th battalions to become a commanding officer.

His training was in companies intending to go to Vietnam, and Jim was keen to serve there. But when the conflict ended, he was given, as he called it, the 'consolation prize' of three years in Papua New Guinea during the country's transition to independence and its move towards a democratic system in 1975. It was the first of 35 moves to come for Jim, his wife, Anne, whom he met as an officer cadet and married in 1972, and their family. In 1992, as a colonel, Jim was posted to Jakarta as the Australian Defence Force attache, where he served until 1994. In 1998, as a brigadier, he returned to Jakarta as Defence Force attache for another two years, where he saw firsthand the chaos following the fall of President Suharto, the Asian financial crisis and East Timor's vote for independence.

In 1999, he joined the Australian Army deployment in East Timor. I was lucky enough to serve as Minister for Veterans' Affairs in a previous government, and Jim was keen to get me up to speed with his work there for reasons I will elaborate on shortly. He'd written about his experiences in East Timor, reasonably briefly, in his book, Running the War in Iraq. In August 2021, he dropped around a signed copy to my office here at Parliament House. Before signing the inside cover, he'd written the words, 'A soldier's story'. It certainly was that. I wasn't in the office at the time, but when I got back I immediately started flipping through the pages and came across a photo of a dashing young Jim about to join the Army. I sent him a text with the photo to thank him for the book but also stating that for a moment I thought I was reading GQ 1968. Jim texted back, 'God I was good-looking once,' before adding a series of laughing emojis, and then on a more serious note referring me to the pages on East Timor that he wanted me to read. He was warm and engaging and had a very dry, self-deprecating sense of humour. The reason he wanted me up to speed on East Timor was because, as a incredibly proud Australian, he strongly believed the story of the contribution of our nation and all who served there should be told.

One very important way that the stories of our overseas deployments are told is through Australia's official histories, and Jim came to see me about the official history relating to East Timor. The production of the official histories falls under the responsibility of the Minister for Veterans' Affairs. Jim was very concerned that the official histories were being blocked and that politics were at play, and Jim certainly knew a thing or two about that. Jim was diplomatic, but he suspected that the issue may have been that some in Australia's foreign policy establishment were concerned about the judgment of history and that it may not be a kind one. I believe that he was right about that and that the histories were in peril.

At Jim 's behest, I took a very strong interest in the progress of the histories and even obtained a draft to read. He was very passionate about this issue, as was his friend Tony Abbott. It took some wrangling and an interesting and illuminating journey through the workings of government, but the official histories eventually got moving. In December last year, Born of Fire and Ash: Australian operations in response to the East Timor crisis 1999-2000 was published. I'm told it will be officially launched soon. It only came into existence because those like Jim Molan took a stand and felt fiercely and deeply that telling this story was the right thing to do. He did it for Australia and its veterans. And, when you step back and think about it, it's the story of how Australia, against the odds, ended up back on the right side of history, and Jim was very proud of that. And that was Jim.

Jim had great courage, both in the corridors of power in Canberra and out in the field. This was clearly demonstrated at Baucau Airport during the East Timor crisis when Jim saved the life of Bishop Belo and quite possibly many other evacuees. Jim was sent to organise the evacuation of UN workers and others, including the Bishop. Armed gangs of militia wanted the Bishop dead and weren't too keen on Australian soldiers either. The evacuees were to get out of Baucau on a couple of Australian C-130 Hercules, but the armed militia blocked the runway. The planes were going nowhere. It was tense—very tense. In a lengthy negotiation, an unarmed Jim faced the militia alone. At times, they drew weapons. As the day wore on, Jim negotiated for UN helicopters to come in and evacuate about 40 children and adults to Dili before all evacuees were allowed to board and the jam-packed planes eventually departed.

About 18 months ago I was in my office signing correspondence and had a documentary on in the background. It was called The Australian SAS: The untold history. The episode I saw was on East Timor. The documentary gave an account of the stand-off on the runway and how the militia fired off a few rounds at a departing Hercules as it headed to Darwin. When I saw Jim next, I asked about the documentary. When I suggested the whole thing must have been terrifying, he just chuckled and said words to the effect that he was just doing what he had to do, just doing his job and he hadn't seen the documentary. And that was definitely how he saw it. In his book, he recounted how, later that day, the satisfaction of the Prime Minister about the successful evacuation was passed on to him. Jim said he was amazed at how quickly he had moved it to the back of his mind, as they'd bounced from one drama to the next. It was just another day in East Timor.

That may be so, but I can tell you this: those evacuees were incredibly lucky to have had Brigadier Jim Molan in their corner that day. With so many civilians on board, as well as armed Australian SAS, the whole operation could easily have turned bad, very, very quickly.

Jim was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2000 and became Commander of the Australian Defence College. In 2004, he was posted to Baghdad as deputy chief of staff for operations for the new multinational force. Later, as chief of staff, he effectively commanded a force of approximately 300,000, including more than 130,000 Americans, with the rest drawn from Iraq and some 28 other nations. In Jim's words, his role was to run the war on behalf of the US general who was in charge. The Americans wanted to put a non-American face to the war, and Jim got the job. At one stage during his time in this role, he was commanding more troops than any Australian had since World War II.

And, if all those achievements weren't enough, Jim became Senator Molan in 2017, and his service to our nation continued. He had a great affinity and affection for the Central West of New South Wales, and he visited on a number of occasions. He was a passionate advocate for expanding Australia's defence manufacturing capability and self-reliance.

The general public of our region would not be aware, but Jim was also a passionate advocate for defence manufacturing in Lithgow at the Lithgow Small Arms Factory. It has been making rifles for Australia since the First World War. When Jim heard that small arms manufacturing in Lithgow may be in peril, he immediately came to see me to let me know that he was in Lithgow's corner and that he was also in my corner. And he was true to his word. He was a powerful and energetic advocate for continuing manufacturing in the city. In so doing, he helped lay down a marker that defence manufacturing in Lithgow must not cease. The small arms factory in Lithgow remains, and, to this day, continues to play a vital role in our country's national security.

I was always very impressed with Jim's vast knowledge of the defence and security sectors. His knowledge was encyclopedic. I was frankly always baffled that his party never made more use of his huge talents. I know I'm not alone in these thoughts. Politics is not a meritocracy, and that's a shame.

The life of Jim Molan was truly extraordinary. He was a man of great courage, conviction and decency. I always enjoyed his company and hearing his insights and well-informed opinions. Determined to keep Australia strong and free, he brought unparalleled experience to our parliament. I respected him enormously. He was a great Australian who will be greatly missed. Farewell, Jim Molan. I convey the sincere and heartfelt condolences of the Calare electorate and our region to his family, friends and fellow veterans.

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

I understand it is the wish of honourable members to signify at this stage their respect and sympathy by rising in their places, and I ask all present to do so.

Honourable members having stood in their places—

I thank the Federation Chamber.

Andrew Charlton (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I move:

That further proceedings be conducted in the House.

Question agreed to.

Federation Chamber adjourned at 19:24