Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on indulgence: on behalf of the opposition I associate this side of the House with the moving comments made by the Prime Minister about the death, the heroism and the return of Private Fisher. His story is a terrible and a beautiful one. He was in a terrible war, fighting in the jungle on September 27, 1969, a member of the SAS. Confronted by an enemy force 30 strong, his patrol leader called in helicopters. An RAAF helicopter dropped ropes down for the soldiers to hang onto in a hot extraction under enemy fire. Imagine their relief as the helicopters took off. And imagine Private Fisher’s feelings—imagine the terror; imagine the horror—as he fell back into the dense jungle. It was a terrible war, a terrible time. He was a heroic soldier, fighting in Australia’s name, putting his life on the line—as so many soldiers had done before and so many are doing today. And yet this is such a beautiful story, thanks to the dedication of so many other Australians—in particular, Jim Bourke of Operation Aussies Home—who kept up the hope that the remains of this brave soldier and others like him could be returned to their homeland. It has been a great triumph of perseverance, of patriotism and of commitment. We join with the Prime Minister in thanking all those responsible for bringing Private Fisher home, in thanking again Private Fisher for his heroism and, above all, in extending our condolences to Private Fisher’s family.

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