Natasha Griggs (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Next Tuesday Territorians will commemorate the 1942 bombings of Darwin, as we have done for many years. This year though it will be a little bit different as 2013 will be the first time that 19 February records a national day of observance for the 1942 bombing of Darwin.

I am proud that this national acknowledgement has occurred. I know that contrary to some media reports—and certainly the Labor Party—I had a significant role in obtaining national recognition for the 1942 bombings of Darwin. I made a commitment to a number of constituents, including Mr Tom Lewis and Mr John Moyle, that I would do everything that I could to ensure that there was national recognition of the 1942 bombings of Darwin. After much groundwork and with assistance of the honourable Tony Abbott and the shadow minister for Veterans' Affairs, Senator Ronaldson, I moved a private members' motion on 20 September 2011 calling for a national recognition of the 1942 bombings of Darwin through a national day of significance. After some negotiations with the Gillard government, I amended my motion to call for a national day of observance for the 1942 Darwin bombings.

As I attend this year's commemorations I will stand proud knowing that, despite being in opposition, I delivered on my promise to my community to push for 19 February each year to be recognised nationally. I am grateful for the support from the crossbenchers who understood how important this issue was and provided me with the necessary votes to put pressure on the Gillard Labor government to have this day recognised nationally.

It is not surprising that the Gillard government and the former Henderson Northern Territory Labor government played politics with this important issue. We should not have expected anything less. As I have said previously, it was disappointing that Minister Snowdon, who has been in this place since 1987, played politics with this issue. He like his Territory Labor parliamentarians had an ample opportunity to have this day recognised nationally but they did not do that. I was in this place for only 12 months when I moved the motion on 20 September 2011 to get 19 February each year recognised as a national day of significance. At least now it is done. It was not about politics for me, it was about getting things done for my community—19 February recognised nationally as the day of observance for the 1942 Darwin bombings.