Alan Griffin (Bruce, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last year as a minister in the defence portfolio I had the solemn responsibility and duty to attend a number of funerals of servicemen who had been killed in Afghanistan. I will not pretend that it is something that I enjoyed doing or that it was something that I approached with anything other than a sense of some great sadness and dread. Although I did not know the individuals, I felt keenly the sorrow and sadness of those who had lost and were mourning someone very close to them.

One such funeral that I attended was that of Sapper Jacob Moerland in the rural Queensland town of Gayndah. That was in June of last year. Sapper Moerland, along with Sapper Darren Smith, had the misfortune of being the victim of an IED explosion and Sapper Moerland died of his wounds. Sapper Smith and their explosives detection dog, Herbie, had also died at the scene. I attended that funeral, and there were some 1,500 family members, friends and local dignitaries in attendance. More than 1,000 mourners were seated outside the service. It was a big occasion for a small town and it was an occasion which was keenly felt by the local community, Jacob's loved ones and the broader Defence family.

Some weeks ago I was somewhat surprised, I must admit, to receive an invitation to return to Gayndah for the official opening of the Sapper Jacob Moerland Memorial Skate Park. This memorial skate park has become a focal point for the local community and an opportunity for that community and for Jacob's family and loved ones to commemorate and remember him and his contribution. Again I felt, 'Should I go?' Frankly, there is nothing more ex than an ex-minister. But I thought about it and decided that, in the circumstances, if I was able to go, having attended the man's funeral it was only appropriate to try to also pay respects at a time which would celebrate his life. So off I went to Gayndah and it was an occasion which I was very pleased that I did attend.

I attended with Lieutenant General Ash Power, representing the Chief of Army and the CDF. We flew up in a light plane out of Canberra in quite stormy weather. I will not pretend that it was a fun flight, but when we got there, somewhat late, it was a real old-fashioned country day. There was not the same size crowd as there was at the funeral, but there were a lot of people there from the local community who were friends and loved ones of Jacob. His mother, Sandy, gave a very touching speech in which she spoke about how much he meant to her and to the community and how pleased he would have been to have a park like this named after him—and about the sort of trouble he would have caused as a young man, ripping around that skate park.

The mayor, Councillor Joy Jensen, made a point of thanking the federal government for the support it provided to ensure that the park went ahead, some $389,000. I was joined by the member for Flynn, Ken O'Dowd, and it was an occasion to celebrate a young man's life. I was incredibly impressed by Jacob's family, by his mother and his sisters, and the padres who spoke in fond and glowing terms of a young man who obviously touched all those he met. To share that occasion with them was a very special thing to do. I know that the community of Gayndah will get a lot of fun out of that skate park in the years to come. It is a great place to go and to meet and have fun with family and friends. Over time, as the trees grow, it will become an even more special place. It will be a place where people will go to have fun and it will be a place where many people will remember a very fine young man who gave everything for his nation in a job that he loved and a job that he loved doing—there with his mates in a place a long way away. Lieutenant General Ash Power and Mrs Moerland unveiled a plaque which reads:

Dedicated to the memory of Sapper Jacob 'Snowy' Moerland, 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment, who was killed in action while serving in Afghanistan on 7th June 2010. Never above you; never below you; always beside you. Lest we forget.