John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I seek the indulgence of the House to address a few remarks on the fourth anniversary of the attack in Bali on 12 October 2002. I am sure that today all members of the House will recall with great sadness the events of the night of 12 October 2002, when two explosions in Bali claimed the lives of 88 Australians, as well as the lives of scores of others. Indeed, more than 200 people died in that horrific terrorist attack. On behalf of the government and, I know, all of the Australian people, I again express our deep sympathy and condolences to those who lost their loved ones in that attack. Their sense of anger at the injustice and the wanton and cruel character will never subside. Our thoughts and prayers are very much with them and also with the beautiful people of the beautiful island of Bali, for whom so many Australians have very great affection.

That attack demonstrated that terrorism strikes in an indiscriminate fashion and strikes without regard to the race, religion, political beliefs, political behaviour or political motivation of people. If we examine the terrorist attacks that have occurred since 11 September 2001, we find a situation where there is no pattern other than the desire of people who are perverted by their blasphemous interpretation of a particular religion to kill and maim with an indiscriminate intent.

It is important to recall the way in which the events in Bali have brought the people of Australia and the people of Indonesia together. The cooperation between the Australian Federal Police and the Indonesian police was outstanding. I record my gratitude to the Australian Federal Police and their counterparts in the Indonesian police who worked with unremitting and tireless professionalism to bring to justice those people who perpetrated this attack which claimed the lives of 88 of our fellow citizens. The results have been very impressive indeed. Many trials have been held and justice has been dispensed, as it should be, to those responsible for these murders. The way in which our two countries have cooperated bodes well for the future, although it was borne out of a very tragic event.

On the first anniversary of the bombings I dedicated three elements to a practical living memorial to the victims: the Australian Memorial Centre, an intensive care and burns centre at the Sanglah Hospital, which is Bali’s largest hospital; the Australia-Bali Memorial Eye Centre, which will be opened in June next year; and the Australia-Bali Memorial Health and Medical Scholarship, which is helping to improve the skills of Balinese health workers.

Those who attended the ceremony marking the first anniversary of the attack in 2003 will never forget the heartfelt speech delivered by the then senior minister in the Indonesian government, General Yudhoyono, who was to become the President of that country. His personal commitment to the fight against terrorism is undoubted and unconditional. As we reflect on those events, the possibility that terrorism will strike again in our region and in our own homeland cannot be ruled out. We should hope that moderate Islamic leaders like President Yudhoyono are supported and are successful. The greatest antidote to Islamic terrorism and those people of the Islamic faith who blasphemously distort the values of that great religion are moderate Islamic leaders like President Yudhoyono of Indonesia and President Musharraf of Pakistan. We must hope, in the name of fighting terrorism, that their leadership triumphs over the more extreme elements in their societies.

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