Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise in support of this motion, because I am a huge fan of the Australian Defence Force Parliamentary Program. When I was a young fellow at school, all I wanted to do was fly Hornets. I remember going to a recruitment office in Melbourne at the age of about 16, and they said: 'Yeah, you're all right. You look okay, son. Come back when you've got high distinctions in maths 1, maths 2, physics, chemistry and English and stay fit, and we will have a look at you.' Sadly, I did not go back a second time, but I have always admired our men and women of the ADF for the absolutely outstanding work that they do.

I, as the member for Macarthur, and so many of my colleagues in this place have had the privilege of immersing ourselves with our members of the ADF. It has been an absolutely unbelievable experience on each and every occasion. In August of this year, I had the privilege of travelling to Iraq, Camp Taji in particular, with the member for Oxley and Senator Kitching. Once again, that was an incredible opportunity and experience for which I am eternally grateful.

One thing that shines through on each and every one of my ADF programs is the absolute professionalism of our ADF members. I have to say that I am singularly impressed with every single one of them that I have dealt with. Not only are they motivated, bright and intelligent but they are also thoroughly decent people. They are obviously very fit and excellent at whatever they do, but they are decent men and women too. I wish that more Australians could have the opportunity to be immersed in that environment, because clearly that environment is a very good environment as it turns out Australian men and women of the highest calibre. From the lowest of ranks to the senior ranks, they are incredible people.

I also had the opportunity to travel to Afghanistan in 2017 with the members for Whitlam, Burt, Oxley, Brand and Bass. There is one thing that has been consistent in both my trips to the Middle East, and that was that I was outnumbered greatly by those members opposite. But one thing that also rings true when we travel overseas on these ADF Parliamentary Programs is we leave, as best can, our guns at the door. When we travel over there, we travel as one and we travel as part of team Australia. I can honestly say that during both of those trips there was never a bad word spoken between us. I think it is really vital that our members of the ADF see from a cross-party perspective that we are behind them every single step of the way. I hate to say it but, sadly, one day the other lot will be in government—I hope it's a long way away—and members of the ADF need to know that, whenever that sad day comes, the men and women who serve in this place are absolutely rock-solid behind them and the work that they do.

I have never been more proud—apart from when I got married and on the birth of my children—than at the times when I have been overseas with these service men and women. One of the best parts of this program is that it is reciprocal. Flight Lieutenant Sacha Ivaschenko and Lieutenant Colonel Brendan Robinson worked in my office in 2017 and 2018. That gave them an opportunity to come into a politician's office and see what happens here. For most people, what goes on here is a great mystery, and I think it is very important that we keep those lines of discussion and experiences going. (Time expired)

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