Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I move:

That the Senate records this occasion of national significance in the awarding of the Victoria Cross to Trooper Mark Donaldson, VC, on 16 January 2009.

I would first like to note the support of the chamber for the preceding condolence motion and the contributions of senators, which were very heartfelt and, I think, very appropriate. While this is also a matter closely related to an engagement in Afghanistan, it is on a much happier note in that it celebrates the bravery of Trooper Donaldson—and I think it also represents recognition of the bravery of all our forces serving in Afghanistan.

The Victoria Cross is the pre-eminent award for acts of bravery in wartime and is Australia’s highest military honour. It is awarded to those who ‘in the presence of the enemy display the most conspicuous gallantry; a daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice; or extreme devotion to duty’. Not only is Trooper Donaldson the first Australian in 40 years to receive this award but he is also the very first to receive the Victoria Cross of Australia, which was established 20 years ago as the national form of this highest military honour. I think everyone celebrates the fact that Australia now recognises its own heroes rather than relying on the recommendations of English generals, who generally did not take a balanced view of such things. Trooper Donaldson is responsible for a tremendous act of bravery, and the recognition of that with the awarding of the Victoria Cross is highly significant.

On 2 September 2008, Trooper Donaldson was travelling in a coalition vehicle convoy in Afghanistan’s Oruzgan province when it was ambushed by a Taliban force while returning to base. During an early stage of the battle, Trooper Donaldson deliberately exposed himself to enemy fire on a number of occasions to draw attention away from the wounded. After two hours of fierce fighting, the patrol finally extracted itself from the ambush but soon realised that a severely wounded coalition force interpreter had been left behind. Trooper Donaldson’s citation says:

Of his own volition and displaying complete disregard for his own safety, Trooper Donaldson moved alone, on foot, across approximately 80 metres of exposed ground to recover the wounded interpreter. His movement, once identified by the enemy, drew intense and accurate machine gun fire from entrenched positions. Upon reaching the wounded coalition force interpreter, Trooper Donaldson picked him up and carried him back to the relative safety of the vehicles then provided immediate first aid before returning to the fight.

…         …         …

Trooper Donaldson’s acts of exceptional gallantry in the face of accurate and sustained enemy fire ultimately saved the life of a coalition force interpreter and ensured the safety of the other members of the combined Afghan, US and Australian force.

Trooper Donaldson’s actions displayed exceptional courage in circumstances of great peril and are in keeping with the finest traditions of the Special Operations Command, the Australian Army and the Australian Defence Force. Through his deeds, Trooper Donaldson has brought great honour upon himself, his family, the Australian Defence Force and our nation.

In acknowledging the awarding of the Victoria Cross, I also think it is worth noting the role that Afghan interpreters and other support persons play and the danger they put themselves in in serving our armed forces. It was the same situation in Iraq, and a number of those people have been assisted to settle in Australia because of the dangers they faced as a result of the services they provided. I think that is a very good development and I think similar action may well be required in Afghanistan at some stage.

It is with great pleasure that I move this motion today. I think everyone throughout Australia recognises the significance of the Victoria Cross and the rarity of its awarding because of the requirement for such extreme bravery to be exhibited. As the son of a Welsh parent, I grew up with the memory of the 12 VCs awarded before breakfast at Rorke’s Drift to Welshmen serving there which is part of Welsh legend and national identity. It is good that we honour not only those who receive the Victoria Cross but also those they represent in terms of the broader defence forces. I have great pleasure in congratulating Trooper Mark Donaldson on the awarding of his VC.

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

I am pleased to rise on behalf of the coalition to support the motion moved by Senator Evans—despite his Welsh-inspired reflection upon English generals! We offer our sincere congratulations to Trooper Mark Donaldson VC on being awarded this highest of military honours, the Victoria Cross, for his gallantry in service in Afghanistan. As Senator Evans quite rightly said, the significance of this award must not be understated, nor should the courage and bravery displayed by Trooper Donaldson. He has joined the ranks of fewer than 100 Australians who have been awarded this honour in our history, spanning 150 years since the first Australian, Captain Howse, was awarded this honour. Warrant Officer Keith Payne was the most recent recipient before Trooper Donaldson, and that was as long ago as 1969, for bravery in the Vietnam War.

The circumstances that led to Trooper Donaldson’s award are a reminder of the extraordinary dangers facing our personnel in Afghanistan. The fact that he faced enemy fire during an ambush in which he ultimately saved the life of not a fellow Australian but an Afghani interpreter with the coalition force and administered medical assistance to wounded coalition soldiers really is extraordinary. His actions under enemy fire are worthy of this honour and a testament to the professionalism and capability of the whole of the ADF and its personnel. The Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, reflected properly the pride of the ADF in Trooper Donaldson’s actions when he said:

I ask you all to contemplate Trooper Donaldson’s selfless and courageous act of mateship and loyalty—not only to his fellow Aussie comrades but to the Afghani interpreter whose life he undoubtedly saved.

We in the Australian Defence Force stand united in our pride as one of our own is admitted into the most exclusive of military fraternities.

Trooper Donaldson has been inducted into the ranks of those military personnel deemed to be the most gallant; the most heroic; the most devoted.

He joins a band of brothers so admired for their valour that there are only ten surviving members in the world today.

Trooper Donaldson truly deserves this award and everything it embodies: valour in wartime. He joins a list of distinguished military personnel who have been awarded this top honour and have been duly recognised for their valour.

It is further testament, I think, to the character of Trooper Donaldson that he has accepted this honour with great humility, paying tribute to all our soldiers as heroes. In his own words:

I don’t see myself as a hero. I was in Afghanistan just doing my job. My training and my instincts took over on the day.

That is a very Australian thing to say. Trooper Donaldson immediately indicated that he would loan his VC to the Australian War Memorial for public display.

The coalition parties congratulate Trooper Donaldson on this great honour. It is a signal of his enormous bravery and courage in service to our nation. The Victoria Cross is not awarded lightly and it is important that we all really understand the significance of this honour, the first VC awarded in 40 years. The nation is very proud of Trooper Donaldson’s service and achievements, his distinguished service to the ADF since 2002 and his valiant actions under enemy fire in Afghanistan, and of all his comrades in Afghanistan. In his humility I am sure he would want us to acknowledge that there are many, many brave soldiers of ours serving in Afghanistan. So to Trooper Donaldson, his wife, Emma, and daughter, Kaylee, we record our sincere gratitude for your service and congratulate you on this most distinguished of honours.

Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I concur with the remarks that have been made by Senator Evans and Senator Minchin. It is a very auspicious day. For the first time in approximately 40 years we have the awarding of a VC—the last one being Keith Payne, whom, I am very proud to say, signed my acceptance form to join the RSL. For valour, the whole concept of the VC is hard to explain to those outside or to those who have not had an involvement in the military. This means that, by tradition, he has to be recognised, even by Angus Houston, with a salute.

Trooper Donaldson’s mother was a widow. He lived in the town of Dorrigo, although he was born at Waratah in Newcastle in 1979, I think. It goes to show that people of incredible calibre emanate from all sorts of beginnings. It is something that the whole nation can be proud of. Trooper Donaldson VC has now, as Senator Minchin rightly pointed out, joined the most distinguished and eminent group of people not only in Australia—there are only two left, Keith Payne and now Trooper Donaldson—but also throughout the world. Australia has only had, I believe, about 96 VCs awarded since the Boer War. It was made retrospective to cover the period of the Crimean War.

Trooper Donaldson really reflects the highest aspirations that people in Australia, regardless of their political allegiances, wish to imitate. When we are a nation made up of people of the calibre of Trooper Mark Gregor Donaldson then we are a nation that knows no limits and can attain all goals. With the utmost respect and the highest congratulations, I convey my thanks and my respect to Trooper Donaldson. I also acknowledge very much his wife, Emma, and his daughter, Kaylee, who make the continual sacrifice of having their husband and father go forward to protect our nation.

Steve Fielding (Victoria, Family First Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Family First also congratulates Trooper Mark Donaldson on his receipt of the Victoria Cross. He is a hero and I am honoured to have the chance to congratulate him for his extreme bravery under the most difficult of conditions and at the risk of his own life. It is a great tragedy that there is such violence and so little peace in the world that we have to ask young Australians to serve their country in combat. But I think we reserve particular praise for members of our military forces not for killing our enemies, which is a terrible reality, but for risking their lives to save a mate. That is why Trooper Donaldson deserves the Senate’s special praise.

Question agreed to.