Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Mackellar, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I, too, rise to honour Lieutenant Michael Fussell. It is significant that we set aside days in our calendar year when we commemorate and say thanks to all who have served, right throughout our history, to help shape our nation and to give us the gift of freedom that we enjoy. The Anzac spirit which originated in Gallipoli is the common thread that winds through every war and engagement that we have had as Australians and leads us to this condolence motion today. Michael Fussell was in fact the inheritor of that tradition and he upheld that tradition, as do all our members of the ADF. But he laid down his life as well.

The incident of 15 schoolgirls having acid thrown in their faces because they dared to seek education, with one blinded and others permanently disfigured, shows we have a long way to go. But Lieutenant Fussell was there; he showed how important it was, by the way he conducted himself. He believed in the justness of the war he was fighting. The war is important—and I, too, would like to acknowledge the presence here today of the ambassador of Afghanistan.

The pride that we have in all our men and women who serve our nation wearing the uniform, fighting under a flag, is a pride that we extend to and indeed embrace Lieutenant Michael Fussell with today. Six deaths have preceded his. It is remarkable that those deaths, each of them tragic, are indeed so few. And the reason they are few is that our troops are so well trained and that their dedication to remaining well trained and well disciplined is ingrained in them. They serve, and we are the beneficiaries.

To parents Ken and Madeline, to brother Daniel, himself a serving officer, and to foster sisters Nikki and Nyah, I extend my sincere condolences and sympathy. But I say to them, as I think to myself: to have known such a young man must give you eternal pleasure; to know that he is lost to you will give you eternal sadness. But know that the nation shares with you a pride in your son and your brother. I think that is an important thing that we do in this parliament, and that is why I am adding my remarks today.

See this speech in context