Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I rise on behalf of the coalition to strongly support the motion moved by Senator Evans, and I endorse all the remarks made by Senator Evans in support of this very important motion. It is critical that the Senate does unanimously express its deep regret and profound sorrow at the death of Signaller Sean McCarthy on 8 July. He was someone who was on his second tour of duty in Afghanistan, and of course all our best wishes and thoughts are with his family and friends.

It does remind us of the extreme danger which Australian personnel face in Afghanistan, but it is also a reminder of the importance of that struggle, and I think his family and friends should take comfort from the fact that there is in this country bipartisan support for our engagement in Afghanistan and that Sean McCarthy died for a noble cause—the cause of containing terrorism and of trying to bring peace and stability to the nation of Afghanistan to enable the people of Afghanistan to live in peace and security. It is an important cause, and we should all renew our commitment to that cause. It is with profound regret and sadness that we record our sorrow at the death of Sean McCarthy.