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 its deep regret at the death, on 19 March 2009, of Sergeant Brett Till while on combat operations in Afghanistan, places on record its appreciation of his service to his country and tenders its profound sympathy to his family in their bereavement.

On behalf of all senators I wish to express my deepest condolences to Sergeant Till’s family—particularly his wife, Breeanna; his children, Jacob and Taleah; his mother, Susan, and her husband, Leigh; and his father, Noel, and his wife, Cathy. I am sure they are all grieving deeply at this tragic loss of Sergeant Brett Till. I also wish to express our sympathy to his extended family and friends, and of course to his fellow service men and women of the Australian Defence Force, who must be devastated by the loss of their colleague. This reinforces again the commitment of our forces in Afghanistan and the extreme danger in which they are operating. It brings home to us the absolute commitment and bravery those forces are showing in what are increasingly difficult circumstances.

Afghanistan remains a very dangerous battleground for our troops, but it is essential for our security that we continue our fight to bring security and stability to that country. I think reports out of Afghanistan in recent times have reinforced the need for that area to be stabilised and for the forces of the Taliban to be defeated. We cannot allow Afghanistan to again become a safe haven for international terrorists. At the time of his death Sergeant Till was serving as a bomb disposal expert with the Special Operations Task Group. He was, tragically, killed while attempting to defuse an improvised explosive device in order. Obviously this was a very dangerous task, and one that only very special people are trained to do. It is inherently dangerous. Sergeant Till, in performing that duty, was seeking to protect his colleagues.

As I say, those who play this role not only put themselves at great personal risk but also are completely dedicated to ensuring the safety of their fellow soldiers. Throughout his military career Sergeant Till had risen to all the challenges that had been presented to him. He had earned the privilege of commanding one of the Special Operations Task Group’s mobility and survivability teams in Afghanistan, and that is a very demanding role. He was well respected by those he commanded as a man who led from the front and who led by the example of his conduct. Through his skill and his commitment, Sergeant Till demonstrated all of the values that typify the Australian service men and women: courage, initiative, teamwork and selflessness.

Australia is deeply indebted to Sergeant Till and all the other brave soldiers who have given their lives on our behalf. I would like to reinforce to the family our gratitude for the sacrifice they have made. We take very seriously our responsibility in terms of committing our forces to combat, and the government’s recent decision to continue its commitment in Afghanistan, to try to empower the Afghan government security operations and to allow them to govern that country with stability is a sign that we regard the task as an ongoing one and that we need to continue the commitment we have made; but we do so highly conscious of the responsibility of committing our troops there and recognising the dangers in which we place them. I was talking to a soldier who was about to be deployed to Afghanistan for the second time. The enthusiasm and the commitment these soldiers bring to going back never ceases to amaze me. I guess I would take that view that if you have survived it once, it would be a case of quit while you are ahead, but the fact that they volunteer to go back and recommit to what they know is a highly dangerous situation is a sign of their great commitment.

On behalf of the Australian government and, I am sure, all members of the Senate, we offer our condolences to Sergeant Till’s family, friends and fellow soldiers. We grieve with you at this terrible loss, but you should take comfort that his service and sacrifice is acknowledged and honoured by this government and this Senate.

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

The coalition fully supports the statements made by Senator Evans. We join in offering our sincere condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Sergeant Brett Till. Sergeant Till was killed in Afghanistan on 19 March 2009 and, though we offered our condolences in the Senate that day, we were not aware of his personal details. We are now able to pay tribute to Sergeant Till’s contribution and service to a proud nation.

Sergeant Till was an explosive ordnance disposal technician—one of the most dangerous jobs there can be. He served with the Special Operations Task Group in Afghanistan. He joined the Army in 2001. He was a dedicated husband and father, which makes his passing all the more tragic. His own father has stated how proud he was of his son for his devotion to his wife and children, for his selfless concern for the wellbeing of others and for his dedication to his mates and his country.

Sergeant Till was the 10th casualty in Afghanistan. He was killed in the same week as Corporal Matthew Hopkins. It was a week that brought very much to the forefront of Australians the challenge we face in Afghanistan. The ever present dangers that our ADF personnel face in overseas operations are a constant concern, especially for those of us who, like Senator Evans and me, are either in or have been in cabinet and responsible for overseas deployments. We all value the service of our ADF personnel wherever they serve and we support their continued work against the Taliban in Afghanistan. That task is of the utmost importance. Our service men and women have our full support, and we genuinely and sincerely respect their service and commitment to this great country.

We in the opposition join the government in recognising the importance to our national security of the continuing involvement of Australian troops in Afghanistan in their great endeavours to bring peace and stability to that country and stop it ever again being used as a base for the global terrorist activities of groups like al-Qaeda.

Australian personnel are performing a tremendous task and our thoughts are with all of Sergeant Till’s colleagues and all the friends and families of Australian personnel in Afghanistan, and particularly to the families of all soldiers that we have spoken about on this occasion and in the past in this chamber. We join the government in honouring the bravery and service of Sergeant Till. We offer our sincere condolences to his wife and children on the loss of a husband and a father. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, and we thank them for their sacrifice.

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

I rise to concur with the remarks of Senator Evans and Senator Minchin. The sacrifice now of Sergeant Brett Till is the sacrifice of his wife, Bree, and their children, Jacob and Taleah. It is extremely important for them to know that what their father did was of the greatest moment for his colleagues in one of the most dangerous jobs within the defence forces—that of dealing with improvised explosive devices. He was willing to lay down his life every time that he found himself in that situation—in what is an extremely precarious field of engagement. He is obviously a man of the utmost character. Our nation is so terribly proud of the work that Sergeant Brett Till did and we will hold his family, his friends and the work that he did in the highest respect, and we will keep the soul of Sergeant Brett Till in our hearts forever.

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

I fully concur with previous speakers and the motion put by the government. We honour Sergeant Brett Till and send the deepest condolences to his family—his wife, his children and his parents—all his loved ones and his friends and fellow members of the ADF. He was courage with aforethought; he possessed the remarkable degree of courage that is required to take on a job that involves demobilising explosives in the interests of his fellow soldiers. He has paid the ultimate price for having had the courage to take up that job, and we honour him.

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

I wish to add my remarks on the condolence motion. On behalf of Family First, it is with great sadness that I acknowledge the death of Sergeant Brett Till, who was tragically killed on 19 March serving his country in Afghanistan. I express my condolences to his family and friends. Sergeant Till was 31 years old. He was a loving husband to his wife of just one year, Bree, a devoted father to his two children aged 10 and seven, and was looking forward to the birth of his third child later this year.

Tributes from his wife and family have told of a courageous, kind and calm man with a winning smile who valued honour and humility. He was the 10th Australian to die serving in Afghanistan. Sergeant Till was an exemplary and brave soldier who was prepared to risk all to protect his fellow soldiers. According to those who served with him, he never faltered in his duty. His work as an explosive ordnance disposal technician operating with the Special Operations Task Group saw him regularly called upon to dismantle dangerous explosive devices that threatened his team. He died attempting to protect his fellow soldiers from an improvised explosive device that, regrettably, exploded. The words of the Defence head, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, I think demonstrate his courage: ‘Sergeant Till’s selfless act to protect his mates and innocent civilians is a mark of the character of the man.’

I think it is very important that the Senate notes Sergeant Brett Till’s death and the death of each and every one of the military people killed serving our country. Sergeant Till’s life was not lost in vain. Family First’s thoughts and prayers are with his family at this very difficult time.

Question agreed to, honourable senators standing in their places.