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

It was 50 years ago today that Timorese refugees landed in ships at Stokes Hill Wharf in Darwin. Stokes Hill Wharf holds deep symbolic and historical significance for Darwin. It was bombed on 19 February 1942 in order to stop Allied forces from Darwin countering the Japanese invasion of the island of Timor. Thirty-three years later, it was the first point of arrival for many Timorese fleeing the conflicts in 1975 and then again in 1999 seeking refuge and safety. I am working with the Timor-Leste government to install a commemorative plaque at the wharf to mark this important 50-year anniversary. These events renewed the bond between our two peoples that was grounded in solidarity and our shared history. During World War II, the Timorese risked their lives working alongside Australian commandos, helping them to navigate, gathering intelligence, carrying the wounded and securing food supplies. The elders of some of our large Darwin Timorese families, such as the Casimiro family, assisted those Australian commandos. I made a documentary film for Channel 9 on the subject called A Debt of Honour. It's available on YouTube if you want to have a look. And now I'm working to facilitate more Australian connection with a Kokoda-like trail in the mountains of Timor so that more Australians know this debt of honour that we have to the Timorese.

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