Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

As Leader of The Nationals in the Senate, I rise to support the motion, especially the comments of Minister Payne earlier in this place. The images coming out of Afghanistan have been extremely confronting and distressing for people across the world—just as distressing as the images of the planes flying into the World Trade Center were on 11 September 2001. Any Australian who was alive on that day would remember exactly where they were when the reports of what was occurring in New York and Washington broke on our news networks.

It was a never-before-seen attack of terror on the Western world. In response, Prime Minister John Howard invoked the ANZUS treaty for the first time and we stood with our American friends in their time of need. Australia became part of the NATO-led mission and entered Afghanistan to contribute to the fight against terrorism. We worked alongside the United States, NATO and the international community to hunt down Osama bin Laden and those responsible for the attacks on 11 September and to eliminate al-Qaeda's capacity to stage more attacks on the West from Afghanistan, and that was achieved. That mission was accomplished.

In completing that mission, almost 39,000 selfless, brave Australian Defence Force men and women made Australia a safer place and saved Australian lives through their service in Afghanistan. Many returned home with physical injuries and mental wounds, and some will never heal. Tragically, 41 of our brave soldiers did not make it home. They made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our nation. They did not die in vain, and we will never forget them. We'll continue to honour them each and every day. Australia owes a great debt of gratitude to all our veterans who've served with distinction, as well as gratitude to their families who have supported them during their service and beyond.

Their service and that of other agencies gave Afghans a chance for a better future. Afghans gained increased access to basic health care and electricity. We saw reduced maternal mortality rates, rises in life expectancy and in the participation of women in politics, and girls attending school. A generation of young Afghans were given hope; they were educated as a result of our efforts in that place. Our veterans, Border Force personnel, Federal Police officers and humanitarian aid workers should hold their heads up high. The cause was and always will be a just one. They must carry with them the knowledge that they did their nation and the world proud and that their fellow Australians are proud of them, as we are in this place, for serving in our national interest.

During my time in this place I also had the privilege of being part of an Australian Defence Force exchange program. I was able to visit Al Minhad and meet with soldiers being deployed to Afghanistan, and to visit Tarin Kot, a uniquely Australian base with a uniquely Australian vibe. I was able to also visit Kandahar, where things were a bit hot and heavy. There was a siren and we had to run through the appropriate behaviours—dropping to the floor et cetera. In that period of time, there was a very young Australian soldier—well, I thought he was very young; he was probably nearly 30—who was tasked with looking after this group of MPs, the poor thing. I asked him 'How was it?' He felt very, very privileged and proud to be serving in the ADF at a point in time when he could see active service. It was, indeed, his fourth tour, voluntarily. I have often thought of this young man and his approach to service in the years since. He knew what the mission was, he knew what his job within that mission was and he was very, very proud to serve his country, as I was to meet him. I wish him well, wherever he is today.

Heartbreakingly, though, the hope that we and our allies instilled in the Afghan people is now in doubt. The Australian government is responding to the rapidly evolving situation in Afghanistan, and it remains a highly volatile and dangerous environment. Ministers are meeting daily to lead the response to the crisis, and I am sure we all thank them—Minister Dutton, Minister Payne, the Prime Minister and Minister Andrews—for ensuring that we maintain that our top priority is the safe and orderly departure of Australian citizens and visa holders.

The Taliban must ensure the safe and orderly departure of those who wish to leave. The Taliban also must meet the commitments that they've made to the international community on the participation of women and girls in the broader Afghani community, including the commitment to education, and to ensure that never again will Islamic extremism be able to take hold within its borders to wreak havoc on the world.

We've not forgotten the Afghanis who supported our troops over the last two decades and we will not forget the Afghan people. The Prime Minister has instructed the ADF to extract Australians and their Afghani colleagues. Our forces are working with US counterparts to support multinational efforts to ensure those wishing to leave Afghanistan can do so safely. Since 18 August, alongside our allies, we've facilitated the safe evacuation of over 1,000 people from Kabul in some of the most extreme conditions our forces have operated in. This is in addition to the more than 8½ thousand Afghanis who have been resettled in Australia since 2013. The Australian government has also announced that an initial 3,000 humanitarian places will be allocated to Afghani nationals within Australia's overall annual humanitarian program. We anticipate that this initial allocation will increase over the course of this year. As the Prime Minister has said, this is a floor not a ceiling.

I want to express to the people of Afghanistan: we are thinking of you, we will continue to support you and we will do whatever we can to ensure your safety. Right now, our Australian Defence Force personnel are continuing to make sure Afghani people have access to the same lives, the same freedoms and the same protections we in Australia have. We're committed to doing everything we can in the time we have to get as many people out as safely as possible.

Lastly, I ask all veterans and all Australians to do a very Australian thing—check in on your mates, support those who have served during this very difficult time. To those who need it, I remind all veterans and their families of their access to Open Arms Veterans and Families Counselling. Don't hesitate to call 1800011046. We stand ready to support these incredible Australians and thank every single one of them for their service. I'm confident that our efforts as a nation in Afghanistan meant a safer world, meant a safer Australia. Our decisions as a government have always been taken in the national interest and will continue to be so. All in this place thank those for their service and for the contribution that they made on our behalf.