Jane Prentice (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again this year I had the privilege to participate in the Australian Defence Force Parliamentary Program. In October, I joined the ADF in Papua New Guinea on Exercise Helicon Luk. The program provided me with a unique insight into the Black Hawk helicopter pilot training. The 16th Aviation Brigade provides helicopter support to our troops and undertakes ongoing qualifications renewal to ensure that they are flying safely and effectively. I participated in several aspects of Army flying operations, including ground refuelling operations, aircraft handling and maintenance, flight mission planning and briefing activities, and aircrew duties, including flying in the Army's S70A Black Hawk helicopter.

The full training program goes for four weeks and is the annual training exercise in deployment and maintenance away from bases. The testing is done in and around Madang, on the north coast of Papua New Guinea, as it is a better testing environment than we have in Australia. The area provides the right conditions for high-density altitude training in the mountains and gives 123 service men and women the opportunity to train in unfamiliar territory, putting the service personnel outside their comfort zone. The group which I joined included three instructors, 18 pilots and 20 loadies, better known as aircraft support personnel.

The highlight of the week was the day that, despite the cloud canopy closing in, we managed to land at the Isurava Kokoda memorial—a very surreal experience. I can understand why so many Australians enjoy the challenge of the Kokoda Track, despite the rugged terrain. There is something very special about standing at the Isurava Memorial and reading about the heroic exploits of our World War II soldiers and imagining the incredible challenges they overcame. However, I must confess that I did prefer arriving by Black Hawk rather than tackling the trek. To top off the day, we landed on a small outcrop at Shaggy Ridge, the site of several battles during World War II, on the way back to Madang. When we landed at Isurava, we were greeted by not only the local tribe but also a Channel 9 film crew doing a documentary with Garry Lyon and Sam Newman from The Footy Show. As they say, it is a small world.

I would like to place on record my appreciation to all the service men and women who included me in their routines and patiently explained their roles and responsibilities. In particular, I thank Major Andrew Scheiffers and Major David Thomson for their support and good-natured forbearance. I would also like to thank Sir Peter Barter for his generosity and support while we were in Madang. In the limited spare time I had, Sir Peter introduced me to Father Jan Czuba, the President of Divine Word University in Madang. Father Jan is truly inspiring, and Divine Word University are achieving great outcomes in their five special faculties of Health Sciences, Education, Arts, Business and Informatics, and Theology. Father Jan is the driving force behind the university—but it does not stop there. He is also involved in the Madang hospital and was appointed by Prime Minister Peter O'Neill to lead a task force to review the OBE, or Outcome Based Education, system, which he completed ahead of schedule.

The last time I visited Madang was back in 1982, and a lot has changed. However, it is still a warm and friendly city, idyllically located on the Dallman Passage. Tourism and education both provide future opportunities for the local community and, with support and encouragement from people such as Sir Peter Barter and Father Jan, I look forward to hearing of their progress.

Having participated in this ADF Parliamentary Program, especially now, as our involvement in Afghanistan is drawing to a close, I appreciate the unique insight I have been given into the workings of the Australian Defence Force and the challenges they face. I place on record my appreciation to everyone involved in this program.