Craig Kelly (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Today flags flew at half-mast at the Holsworthy Barracks as soldiers gathered for a memorial service to farewell their fallen comrade, Sergeant Brett Woods, and to add his name to its honour roll of comrades killed in action. Sergeant Brett Woods becomes the seventh member of the 2nd Commando Regiment to pay the ultimate sacrifice. His name joins those of Lance Corporal Jason Marks, Lieutenant Michael Fussell and Privates Luke Worsely, Tim Aplin, Ben Chuck and Scott Palmer on the memorial cairn outside the regiment's headquarters.

Sergeant Wood had served with the 2nd Commando Regiment, the predecessor of the 4th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment, 4RAR, for 13 years when he was tragically killed in action as a result of an explosion from an improvised device on Monday, 23 May 2011. Sergeant Wood was also the holder of the Medal for Gallantry and he had stood up against evil on tours to Bougainville in 2000, East Timor in 2001 and Iraq in 2003. In addition, he served on no fewer than three tours of Afghanistan.

As the English philosopher Edmund Burke once famously said, 'All that is needed for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.' Sergeant Brett Wood was one of those good men, someone who was prepared to make a stand against evil—a stand for which he gave his life. And today our hearts go out to his wife, Elvi, his family, his entire regiment, his mates and his friends as they grieve his and our nation's great loss. It is worth remembering the evil that Sergeant Brett Wood was fighting against: the Taliban and the sponsors of international terrorism. Throughout history there have been many evil regimes but few as evil as the Taliban. This is a group that has used children with Down syndrome and mentally impaired women as suicide bombers to kill civilians and spread terror. This is a group that has brainwashed and coerced children as young as nine to strap explosive devices to their bodies and blow themselves up in crowded marketplaces. This is a group that turned the dusty, dried-out football field of Kabul stadium into a killing field where black-turbaned Taliban would force men and women to kneel prior to being publicly executed, or where they would amputate limbs for crimes ranging from robbery to adultery and then hang the severed arms or legs from the goalposts for all to see. This is a group that deliberately destroyed one of the great architectural relics of the world, the Buddhist statues at Bamyan. This is a group that subjects women to oppression and violence and denies them education. This is a group that seeks to deprive people of the joys of music and it even bans the innocent practice of kite flying. This was the evil that Sergeant Brett Wood was making a stand against.

And he was making a difference. The Afghan nation is making progress. Kabul stadium is now covered with green grass and residents now go there to cheer their favourite local soccer teams. Schools are being built and girls are now receiving education. Sport, including the game of cricket, is growing in popularity not only amongst men but also amongst women. For example, more than 100 young women are currently playing cricket in Kabul and the Afghanistan Cricket Board is about to create a national women's cricket team. Construction of the Kabul National Cricket Stadium is almost complete and the renovated stadium will serve as the main hub for hosting both domestic and international events, and it will accommodate more than 6,000 cricket fans. It is a project that will enhance the lives of Afghanistan's young people through sport. One of the reasons that this progress was being made was that men like Brett Wood were prepared to stand up against such evil by being ready, willing and able to fight.

A test of a person's character is what their mates think of them. As his mates from the 2nd Commando Regiment said at their farewell, Brett was a man amongst men, a soldier's soldier, an outstanding leader, a great mate, a loving husband, and courageous and professional to a fault. Sergeant Wood is also remembered by our American friends and allies for his actions in 2006 that earned him the Medal for Gallantry. The citation states:

On the 17th of July 2006 during Operation PERTH, the Commando Platoon was tasked to conduct the clearance of an Anti Coalition Militia sanctuary in the Chora Valley, Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan.

The Platoon was partnered in support of an Infantry Company of the United States Army 10th Mountain Division.

At approximately 1pm, the Infantry Company came under heavy rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire on multiple flanks, resulting in six wounded and one soldier killed in action, effectively halting their advance.

Through thick vegetation, facing large numbers of dispersed Anti Coalition Militia and under heavy fire, the Commando Platoon commenced manoeuvring to provide assistance to the element which was pinned down.

During this move, the Commando Platoon received a volley of four rockets which impacted in the centre of the platoon’s position, resulting in six Australian soldiers wounded in action, a loss to the platoon by one third of its force.

Unknown to the Commander at the time, Corporal Wood had also been wounded in the foot by fragmentation from the rocket-propelled grenade barrage.

In order to regain the initiative, Corporal Wood’s team was tasked by the Commando Platoon Commander to assault forward and clear a group of compounds from which they were receiving Anti Coalition Militia fire.

Under these daunting conditions, Corporal Wood commenced this task without hesitation, completing a rapid and aggressive clearance of numerous threat compounds.

Once achieved, both the United States and Australian elements were free to continue with the battle, providing the necessary time to effect the back loading of the wounded by helicopter to the Forward Operating Base.

Throughout the afternoon, numerous and relentless probing attacks by a determined opponent followed.

Corporal Wood displayed extraordinary leadership and courage, inspiring his team and the remainder of the Commando platoon to repel the continued attacks.

He then successfully led a marksmanship team to infiltrate the Anti Coalition Militia-held territory, killing seven Anti Coalition Militia.

Only after the engagement had been completed and the threat to the platoon subsided did Corporal Wood inform his Commander of the fragmentation wound that he had sustained during the original contact earlier that day.

Corporal Wood was then evacuated to the Casualty Collection Point where he was provided with medical treatment and later extracted.

Corporal Wood’s actions on the 17th of July 2006, as a Commando Team Commander during Operation PERTH, were testament to his leadership, fortitude and sense of duty to his team and the platoon.

His determination to continue to lead his team during the battle in extremely hazardous circumstances despite being wounded ensured that the Commando Platoon regained the initiative and contributed significantly to a decisive victory.

His gallantry and leadership in the face of the enemy has been of the highest order and in keeping with the finest traditions of Special Operations Command Australia, the Australian Army and the Australian Defence Force.

Even the US mourns his loss. The US Ambassador to Australia recently said:

He fought bravely as part of our common mission to eliminate terror from the lives of the Afghan people to restore their home to them and to ensure that our own nations are safe.

Sergeant Brett Wood was a man of honour. He was killed leading his unit from the front, as he always did. He made a real difference. The world is a better place for the way he served our nation, with distinction and courage. He will always have the gratitude of this parliament and the nation. Vale Sergeant Brett Wood.

See this speech in context