Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

As the honourable member has raised this, let me quote to the House the paragraph to which he refers. This was me in Afghanistan to the troops assembled:

It doesn’t make it any easier to be apart from them—

that is, your family—

at this time of year. I’m going to go home and spend my Christmas with my wife and three kids and you’re not. And I understand that’s hard.

But you know, at this time of year in particular, as the families of the nation settle down around a Christmas tree and share presents, the nation will be thinking of you as well.

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