Trish Crossin (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 9 February last year in this very chamber, long before any motion was put and passed in the House of Representatives, I put before this parliament my very strong view that 19 February, the day Darwin was bombed by the Imperial Japanese forces in 1942, should be recognised and commemorated nationally. I spoke of the need for us to officially commemorate that day that the enemy came to our shores and took the lives of our soldiers, sailors and civilians on our own soil.

The surprise attack on Darwin was conducted just four days after the fall of Singapore by the same Japanese fighters and bombers who had destroyed Pearl Harbor. The Imperial forces that hit Darwin that steamy, wet season morning were intent on decimating that northern capital. The Darwin defenders fought back courageously and many lives were lost. At the time we were at war, but history will show that this nation downplayed the attack on Darwin. However, with the passage of time, the true significance of the war on our shores should be known and known widely.

I worked with many people in Darwin and around the country last year and the year before who knew the stories of 1942 and, like me, were determined that the valour and commitment of these people should be fully acknowledged. Working with fellow Territorian and parliamentary colleague the Hon. Warren Snowdon, the Minister for Veterans Affairs, over many months, we built the case that the 1942 bombing of Darwin and North Australia should be commemorated across the nation every year. We were successful in this undertaking, and in November last year the Prime Minister confirmed that Australia would indeed commend to the Governor-General that this day would now be nationally recognised.

So I am proud to rise in this place tonight to say that a magnificent series of commemorative events were held in the Top End over the week leading up to, and during the weekend of, 19 February. Collectively, they were indeed the great and fitting tribute to the veterans that I have always believed they would be. So I want again to pay tribute to the veterans of that time and to those who organised, attended and watched these events right around our nation. I also place on record my thanks and acknowledgement for the national broadcasters of this country—for radio, for television and even for print—in the way in which this coverage was conducted on 18 and 19 February and beamed into every household right around this nation.

The ceremony held on 19 February was an extraordinary event. Coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the bombing of Darwin in 1942 we, as a nation, commemorated the falling at a ceremony at the Darwin Cenotaph. In attendance was the Governor-General of Australia, the Prime Minister, the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, the Administrator for the Northern Territory, the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory and ambassadors from the United States, Indonesia and Japan. The ambassador for Timor-Leste sent an apology as he was in Sydney with the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, His Excellency Xanana Gusmao, and they commemorated that day that Australian troops, aided by the Timorese people, fought the Japanese invasion of the island of Timor.

Many thanks to our commemoration partners, the Northern Territory government and the City of Darwin. I particularly want to acknowledge the Chief Minister, Paul Henderson, and the Lord Mayor of Darwin, Graeme Sawyer. Together we were successful in getting this solemn day properly recognised. Paul Henderson in particular has been a long-time advocate for the teaching of the bombing of Darwin in our schools, and this is now happening. Equally important is that the stories of the bombing of Darwin will now be included in our new national curriculum, another great Labor education initiative. Among the myriad activities was the submission by seven Top End schools of artwork to the NT Schools Bombing Of Darwin Art Exhibition at the Chan Contemporary Art Space. The curator of the exhibition, Mr John Waight, aptly described its effect as 'creating a bridge from what happened in 1942 to today'.

There was a series of talks at the Northern Territory Library at parliament house. One of these talks was delivered by the inspiring 93-year-old veteran naval officer Mr Eric Thompson, who was featured in conversation with our renowned naval officer and director of the Darwin Military Museum, Dr Tom Lewis OAM. Eric told the stories, and Tom—as always—provided the rich context of the significance of the war and the chronological events of the grim day of the bombing. The National Film and Sound Archive and the Darwin Film Society held various film screenings depicting Top End life during wartime. The week also included the premiere screening of The Bombing of Darwin: an Awkward Truth, which is the film adaptation of Peter Grose's groundbreaking book of the same name.

The events kept coming. On 17 March I attended a families lunch hosted by the Northern Territory government at the Darwin Convention Centre. This families lunch finally paid recognition to the Chinese families, the Indigenous families and other civilians who were in Darwin on the day of the bombing and in the coming weeks and who assisted the many defence personnel in the clean-up which followed that tragic event. Finally families in Darwin—particularly Indigenous families—got to reconnect. It was almost like a massive, 1,000-family reunion. It was so great to see those families catching up on old times and sharing stories of ancestors who had been around on the day. I particularly thank the Chief Minister, Paul Henderson, whose initiative this was; I thank Mr Bill Risk and Mr Don Christopherson; I thank Ms Wendy James for the stories she told; and, of course, I thank our young and cheeky custodian of Darwin, Mr Austin Asche AC, QC, who was a member of the Royal Australian Air Force in World War II.

On the Saturday morning I attended the opening of the Defence of Darwin Experience at East Point. The Defence Of Darwin Experience is an interactive exhibition space that tells the story of the bombing of Darwin through an immersive multi-media experience and covers the extraordinary years between 1932 and 1945. I thank again Dr Tom Lewis, the NT libraries and the Northern Territory Archives Service for the research work that contributed, amongst other things, to the iPad application for the Defence of Darwin Experience. If you ever take a trip to the Top End, you most certainly have to pop in and have a look at this fantastic new military museum.

I thank also Mr Pierre Arpin, the director of the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, and his team, who worked so hard in an incredibly short time on the content for the Defence of Darwin Experience. This magnificent exhibition will become a part of the education of Territory kids and visitors alike. The Defence of Darwin Experience is located next to the Darwin Military Museum and is now part of the impressive World War II precinct at East Point.

One of the Saturday afternoon activities was a commemorative AFL football match played between the Tiwi Bombers and the Darwin Buffaloes at Marrara. The Bombers—predictably, of course—won, and perhaps this was partly due to the welcome by the Tiwi traditional dancers whose aeroplane dance captures the story of the day that the planes came overhead their island home, bound for Darwin, on 19 February 1942.

On the Saturday evening, the eagerly awaited Frontline Australia Ball was held. A thousand people attended this wonderful evening, which was hosted by Ray Martin and where the veterans were, appropriately enough, the focus of the guests' attention. My congratulations go to the City of Darwin team which worked very hard for many months to ensure that this event was a great success.

Finally, there was Bombing of Darwin Day on 19 February. This is the official day of recognition of the bombings across the Top End of Australia. The day started with a service at the USS Peary memorial on the Darwin esplanade. Honourable senators will remember that last November I spoke in this place of the wreath-laying ceremony conducted jointly by our Prime Minister and President Obama to commemorate the 89 brave US sailors who were lost when the Peary was sunk in Darwin harbour. I acknowledge the US Ambassador, Mr Jeffrey Bleich, who is becoming a frequent visitor to the Northern Territory these days. We were honoured that he was able to attend the ceremonies last week. Eric Thompson, an Australian Navy veteran of the bombing, described the actions of the sailors on the USS Peary that day as amongst the US Navy's proudest moments.

As the USS Peary ceremony came to a close, people were already making their way to the Darwin cenotaph to get the best seats for the official commemorative ceremony. A record crowd of more than 5,000 people witnessed a very moving ceremony that featured a raid re-enactment with soldiers in World War II uniforms firing blanks from artillery and machine guns at the vintage aircraft flying overhead. Wreaths were laid by the Governor-General, the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, veterans, dignitaries and members of the community.

I acknowledge the Australian Defence Force's participation in the ceremony, including that of the magnificent Australian Army Band Darwin directed by Captain Darren Cole. I acknowledge also the Darwin Chorale, directed by Nora Lewis, and the contribution of the school children that made this such a warm and inclusive community event.

Concurrent with the cenotaph service, the Maritime Union of Australia hosted the annual memorial service at Stokes Hill Wharf. The ceremony involved wharfies, seafarers and members of the community. Unveiled at this service was a new wharfies memorial to commemorate the wharf workers who died on 19 February 1942 as the bombs and bullets rained down. The memorial also acknowledges the bravery of those workers and onlookers who risked their own lives to save those of their comrades amongst the burning ships and along the smashed wharf.

I want to acknowledge Mr Thomas Mayor from the Maritime Union of Australia, who leads his union with distinction and who found the support for the Tiwi Islands dancers to get to Darwin to participate in the commemorative events.

Sunday, 19 February was a great and fitting gesture of respect to the fallen, but the commemorations did not finish there. The following day more than 300 people attended a ceremony at the Adelaide River War Cemetery about 100 kilometres south of Darwin. This war cemetery is the resting place for 434 soldiers, sailors and airmen, as well as 60 civilians, most of whom were killed during the first bombing raid on that day.

Many thanks to the Northern Territory Transport Group for providing the buses that enabled many veterans to attend a range of functions and activities during the week—notably the commemoration at the Adelaide River War Cemetery, which is 100 kilometres from Darwin, or 'just down the track' as we say.

A great many people were involved in pulling the various activities together. A team of correction workers laboured manfully to ensure that the Defence of Darwin exhibition was up and running in time for the big weekend. I was very heartened to be informed by the NT government that the majority of these detainees have been offered full-time employment at the conclusion of their detention. Northern Territory corrections also assisted the City of Darwin with the cleaning of memorials and plaques prior to the anniversary. As I said, it was a great and inclusive Top End team effort.

I would like to especially acknowledge our allies who fought with us on 19 February 1942 and who joined us again on that Sunday last February. The relationship between the Top End and the United States of America was born in the dark days of 1942 and is now over 70 years old. This relationship will continue to be important for Australia in the coming years. We are deeply proud of the defence of Darwin and are, as always, strongly committed to the defence of northern Australia.

The Prime Minister described 19 February as the unimaginable day when the sanctuary of our great island home was breached by the attack of a great foreign power. However the Prime Minister also spoke of the rebuilding of our relationship with Japan, and it is true that today we work together as friends and trading partners, evidenced most recently by the confirmation of the $33 billion Inpex project, which is about to begin on Darwin harbour. This massive project is going ahead to the benefit of both our now great countries.

I want to conclude with a comment made by the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, Paul Henderson, who made the observation on that weekend that 'the anniversary provides the opportunity to share our history, with the rest of the nation and with generations, who, thankfully, have never had the war so near'.

On the 9 February last year I rose in this place to put the case for national commemoration and I concluded:

Commemorating the bombing of Darwin each year, nationally and for one minute on that day—like we do on the other two days of significance during the year, Anzac Day and Remembrance Day—will help to educate our future generations about our past and honour those who have contributed to our history. It will also ensure that the events of that day are not lost; that they become part of our culture and part of us.

We have started well and my sincere thanks go to all those who made possible this first national commemoration of the bombing of our Darwin in 1942. To those who watched from afar, please come and join us next year, you will be warmly welcomed to our Top End.

Finally, in finishing I want to pay tribute to Waldo, our very famous Australian bush poet who lives out at Humpty Doo. In commemoration of this day of significance he has penned for us a poem, The Bombing of Darwin: 19th February 1942. It has about six verses and I promise the Senate that I will not labour tonight and read it out loud. I have sought agreement from the Opposition Whip to have Waldo's bush poem on the bombing of Darwin incorporated in Hansard. I do that quite proudly in honour of the terrific way he is able to encapsulate events like that on paper. I seek leave to incorporate a copy of the poem in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The document read as follows—

The Bombing of Darwin

19th February 1942

The bombs rained down on Darwin, what a sad and sorry day.

Prayers said for those who perished, what a shocking price to pay.

The war had reached our golden shores and some northern country towns.

While the people south of the Brisbane line thought they were safe and sound.

Enemy bombers spanned our skies as fighters flew below,

Attacking ships in the harbour like a giant lightning show.

Our Airforce tried to stem the bombing, but didn't stand a chance.

With the Imperial Japanese carriers, as their Naval fleet advanced.

Australia's Ack-Ack crews relentless, as they searched the northern skies.

From East Point 'cross the Stokes Hill Wharf, diggers died before our eyes.

Our courageous indigenous coast watch spotters were all on high alert;

They were bombed and strafed across their Islands and left dying in the dirt.

Japanese Zeros plastered bullets on the fuel tanks at Stokes Hill Wharf,

Then strafed A.I.F. Gun turrets, as they slowly changed their course.

They attacked the Catalina base at Doctors Gully then flew down by the shores

Where they bombed another flying boat base and turned around for more.

Then the bombers flew down Smith Street, Cavanagh as well;

Demolished shops and the Post Office—it was just like bloody hell.

Melville Island, Groote and Bathurst, Torres Strait and Broom as well;

Katherine also copped some flack, Strauss airstrip, Hughes and Pell;

The USS Peary's gun crew were outstanding as she slipped beneath the waves.

Now she rests I our beloved harbour—a proud US Naval grave.

Seventy years we've been allies through blue skies and 'cross the waves

We share a common bond for peace, Australia and the USA.

God bless our wonderful countries and peace be with you all.

Darwin, we now salute you