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

Yesterday afternoon, a rugby game and other sports took place in Canberra. While we all love a Sunday arvo kick-around with mates, this game was more special than any other. The inaugural Jack Fitzgibbon trophy—here it is—was played between pollies and Defence to commemorate and honour a great Australian serviceman and the son of our former colleague and lifelong mate the Hon. Joel Fitzgibbon, the former defence minister. Jack Fitzgibbon was an outstanding young Australian who served his country with distinction. The Fitzgibbon family are justly proud of his accomplishments, as are his mates in the 2nd Commando Regiment. Yesterday, the Prime Minister attended with his good mate Joel Fitzgibbon and a roll call of former Wallabies, including Senator Pocock, Stephen Larkham and Ben Mowen, who all played, and Joe Roff was there as well. The member for Solomon and I laced up our boots and played on opposite sides in a fine spirit. We also raised $20,000 for the Commando Welfare Trust. Thanks, Andy Turnbull. The members of the Australian Defence Force do us proud every day. Events like yesterday's give us the opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices they and their families make. On behalf of the nation, we thank them severely. To Joel and Jack's family, we hope yesterday's rugby match is the first of an annual fixture—won by the pollies yesterday, as the member for Solomon would acknowledge—and we hope future games that honour Jack Fitzgibbon add to the memories that honour and give you some comfort as you grieve Jack. Lest we forget. I won't mention the score.