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

On Sunday evening, I attended an event on the Esplanade in Darwin which was to commemorate the 81st anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea, which is often referred to as the battle that saved Australia. Fought by the US and the Australian navies, it led to severe losses by the enemy, which then prevented an invasion of Port Moresby, and we know the rest of the story. It's important that we remember these important historical actions with our allies. I want to thank Brad Torgan from the Australian American Association NT branch for putting together a wonderful event that was attended not only by the Australian Defence Force but by members of the US Navy, the Australian Navy, the Australian Army, the Australian Air Force and, of course, the US Marine Corps, who we're proud to host in our northern capital.

The Battle of the Coral Sea was fought from 4 to 8 May 1942 and was a major naval battle between the Imperial Japanese Navy and naval and air forces of the United States and Australia, and it's great looking from the USS Peary Memorial on the Esplanade across Darwin Harbour to the Inpex gas plant, which is providing energy into Japan. Eighty-one years is a lifetime, but it's also remarkable to see how close we are now with our former enemies, the Japanese.