Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Australian Greens I join with the rest of the Senate, this parliament and indeed the people of Australia in expressing our warmest condolences to the families, the associates, the 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment and all of our combat troops in both Afghanistan and Australia after the loss of these brave young Australians. Sappers Jacob Moerland and Darren Smith were very young men. They had potentially marvellous lives in front of them and that has all been sacrificed for this nation.

One can only hope that the motion before the Senate and the words that we speak will add in some way to the sorely needed help to salve the irreconcilable loss for the families of Sappers Moerland and Smith. They died in the Mirabad Valley of Afghanistan, but they and their 11 colleagues who were killed earlier in this war in Afghanistan will live on forever on the Wall of Honour back home in Australia.