Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I want to thank the member for McPherson for this motion. Almost 20 years ago, at 11 pm on 12 October 2002, three bombs exploded in Bali, one at the Sari Club and one at Paddy's Pub—both Kuta Beach clubs that were popular with foreigners—and one in front of the United States consulate. There were 202 people killed, 88 of them Australians. Scores more were wounded. This attack was the largest single loss of Australian lives due to an act of terror. As well as 88 Australian sons and daughters, there were 38 Indonesian nationals killed, 26 Brits, seven Americans, six Germans, five Swedes, four Dutch, four French, three Danes, three Kiwis, three Swiss, two Brazilians, two Canadians, two Japanese, two South Africans, two South Koreans, an Ecuadorian, a Greek, an Italian, a Pole, a Portuguese and a Taiwanese—human beings all taken from this earth. It was also the largest aeromedical evacuation in Australian history, with at least 66 badly injured people evacuated to Darwin for urgent medical treatment.

I'd like to note that this tragedy also sparked the creation of the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre, which is in my electorate of Solomon. The centre has done exceptional work ever since then to respond to disasters and emergencies all over the world. It also continues to train medical professionals around the Indo-Pacific in emergency response. And this is very important soft-power work that they do, helping our neighbours.

While 21 August may be the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, their families grapple with their loss every day of the year. And as we near the 20th anniversary of the Bali bombings in October, the land at the Sari Club still stands vacant. The Australian Bali Peace Park Association had tried for two decades to establish a peace park on the site, but it has since folded. The idea was to provide a space for peaceful reflection and healing after such a terrible act of violence and to be able to secure the ongoing dignity and solemnity of the site. Australia is well placed to mark the anniversary in a number of ways. And there have been a number of ideas floated over the years. I think we should reflect and acknowledge this tragedy 20 years on.

I want to draw the attention of this chamber, and of all members, to the excellent work done in this space by my colleague the member for Cowan. She examined the role of the Australian Bali Peace Park Association in a study of 'terrorist attack sites as theatres of performance that carry symbolic meaning both as the targets of destruction and as spaces for the constant reinterpretation of individual and collective perceptions of terrorism'. The member for Cowan noted in her research that terrorist attack sites are often recognised for their symbolic significance, and that gives the attack and the attackers more power that can be abused and manipulated. So it's our job, as those who remain, to commemorate the victims of terrorism so as to ensure that their deaths are not further weaponised in any way. Creating a park or a sports park is one way of neutralising that and building something positive that can unite Indonesia and Australia and be a clear and direct rejection of terrorism and the division that terrorists seek to sow.

In closing, I want to thank our law enforcement and national security agencies and their dedicated staff, who work so hard to keep Australians safe from terrorism both at home and abroad. They are often unsung heroes. The work that they do every day and the sacrifices that they and their family make are truly incredible and should be acknowledged at every time. I thank the member for bringing this motion to the House.

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