Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Hansard source

That really is an outrageous reflection on Minister Nelson. I refer you to what he actually said. He said that in 1942 ‘we had a gripping struggle on the Kokoda Track’. He continued:

No-one needed convincing Australia’s interests were at risk. But today we face something which is no less a risk to our culture, our values, our freedoms and way of life than was presented to us in 1942.

That is what he said. It is a different risk. It is harder to see for the average Australian trying to feed their kids et cetera. They were perfectly acceptable, sensible remarks, which indicates, as I have said, that he was taken grossly out of context. We defend and uphold the chivalry and bravery of those involved on the Kokoda Track just as we uphold the bravery of those fighting the war on terror on our behalf.