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

I join with all fellow senators in congratulating SAS Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for his conspicuous gallantry in action in circumstances of extreme peril in Afghanistan. I preface further comments by saying that war is extraordinarily horrific for those who are faced with enemy fire and the consequences of that. It is brutish, it is nasty and it is deadly. The memories of circumstances like those that this very brave corporal have been through do not leave one this side of the grave. I hope he will remember that he was in these circumstances at the behest of this great country and he served this great country in that role in an extraordinary way, which has led to him receiving the Victoria Cross.

I will not reiterate the circumstances of that, as good senators have done that before me, but it is notable that this special man not only was prepared to get in the line of fire to defend his Australian comrades but is prepared to remove himself from the spotlight to honour those comrades who will not come back from Afghanistan. I quote:

Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith … urged Australians to remember the digger ‘heroes’ who did not come back alive from Afghanistan.

‘These are the guys who put their hands up willingly and they didn’t come back,’ he said.

‘They are our mates and their families live with that every day.

‘So I will really urge the public to remember they are the heroes, they are the ones who gave the ultimate sacrifice.’

They are the words of a very special Australian.

Question agreed to.