Alan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to support the words of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition on this condolence motion in respect of the memory of Sergeant Brett Wood. May I also congratulate the member for Canberra for her fine speech. Sergeant Wood, known as 'Woody' to his mates, was serving with the Special Operations Task Group in Afghanistan when he was tragically killed in action as a result of the explosion of an improvised explosive device on Monday 23 May 2011. He was a much loved husband, father, son, grandson and brother. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Elvi, and their son, his family and his friends as they struggle to come to terms with this dreadful news, as their grieving begins. It is a time of great sadness for them. Whilst this motion is in no way likely to ease their pain, we mourn the death of a brave soldier who had so much life ahead of him. We sincerely wish those close to him courage and strength into the future.

Sergeant Brett Wood was born in Ferntree Gully, in my electorate in outer eastern Melbourne, in 1978. He was just 32 years of age when he died. He was a genuine professional, an outstanding soldier with 15 years operational experience, having joined the Army in 1996. Sergeant Wood was first deployed in Bougainville, in 2000. In 2001, he was deployed to East Timor on Operation Tanager and, in 2003, to Iraq on Operation Falconer. In 2006, Sergeant Wood was deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Slipper. For his actions during a critical battle in southern Afghanistan, he was awarded the Medal for Gallantry for leadership in action as a team commander. It is one of the nation's highest military honours for bravery under fire.

Following this, Sergeant Wood received a Special Operations Commander Australia commendation for service with the Tactical Assault Group East in 2007, and in 2009 he returned to Afghanistan as a section commander. Sergeant Wood was finally deployed to Afghanistan, for the third time, in March this year, and of course never returned.

He was clearly one of our finest soldiers. We will honour his life and mourn his passing. Sergeant Wood was the 24th Australian killed in Afghanistan. Just yesterday we learnt of the deaths of Lance Corporal Andrew Gordon Jones and Lieutenant Marcus Case, tragically bringing to 26 the number of people who have been killed in Afghanistan. I imagine that, at the time of the deaths of Sergeant Wood, Lance Corporal Jones and Lieutenant Cases, it will also be difficult for the families of the other 23 soldiers who have died in the battle in Afghanistan.

Whilst our soldiers have died tragically, they have died with great honour, serving our nation in the cause of making Afghanistan safer from terrorism. Their sacrifice is not in vain. We honour their memory and the memory of Sergeant Wood by remaining true to the cause that they so well served. Lest we forget.

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