Alex Hawke (Mitchell, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to praise the efforts of Private Kyle Wilson of Castle Hill in my electorate who this year in the Australia Day honours received a Commendation for Gallantry. This brave 22-year-old received the Commendation for Gallantry, one of only 30 awarded over the past two decades.

This is an extraordinary story of an ordinary Australian doing extraordinary things. Private Wilson follows in the military footsteps of his father, uncle, brother and grandfather, the latter of whom received the Order of Australia Medal in 1983. I note that Private Wilson joined the Army at the age of 17 for a gap year. Of course, he had such a great time after he enlisted that, when the 12 months were up, he sought further military service. I put on the record at this point my great support for the ADF gap year program. I was disappointed to see its cessation in the 2012-13 budget.

Private Wilson is exactly the kind of person who had the experience at 17 to go on and do great things. His citation for gallantry reads:

For acts of gallantry in action on 7 September 2011 while deployed on Operation Slipper as a member of Mentoring Task Force 3 in Afghanistan. While attempting to apprehend a withdrawing insurgent commander Private Wilson and a fellow soldier came under intense plunging fire from an insurgent force numbering three to five on their southern flank as well as fire from their quarry. Despite facing extreme personal danger Private Wilson and the other soldier advanced over 100 metres with no cover, concealment or friendly suppressive fire to close with and neutralise the insurgent commander. Their actions also drew fire away from the remainder of their section enabling them to reposition and engage more fully in the battle.

It is a fairly dry sort of citation but the true heroism of these young men is that they put their lives on the line for their friends and for the rest of their section without regard for their own personal safety and without regard for anything but the survival of their mates.

Reading the full explanation of their story in the Australian Army newspaper is worth while. Private Wilson said that with the adrenalin pumping through his veins he really did not think about the danger until he saw the rounds falling around his feet. He looked straight over to his mate. He saw him 'with the rounds falling all around us' and he knew instinctively that it was time to take action. His training kicked in and he did not take any regard for his own personal safety.

It is an amazing story of heroism. Just like all of our service personnel, young men and women, he does extraordinary things every day. Kyle Wilson is now back in Castle Hill, running his own business. He is a personal trainer at CrossFit Gym—something I know all members of this place could benefit from—and he is doing a great job re-integrating into our community in his own business. I congratulate him and his friends on his extraordinary service in Afghanistan and on behalf of this parliament welcome this great award of a Commendation of Gallantry.