Tony Zappia (Makin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Manufacturing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last Thursday I attended a service at the Salisbury RSL commemorating the bombing of Darwin. Salisbury RSL President, Mick Lennon, summed up the importance of the occasion with this statement:

At 9.58 am on the 19th of February in 942 was the first time mainland Australia had been attacked by a foreign enemy. This was indeed the day War came to Australia. 188 Japanese aircraft bombed and strafed Darwin's wharves and city centre, and then at midday, a further 50 aircraft attacked Darwin's RAAF Base. At least 243 people died and hundreds of others were injured. Darwin was significantly damaged and 8 ships were sunk in the harbour with another 15 disabled. These were the most serious of the 64 air raids on the Top End, which continued until the 12th November 1943.

At the time, the national interest dictated that the scale and severity of the attacks were not publicised and largely the history of the war years and the loss of life have gone unrecognised.

Mick makes the point quite properly that it is an event that has not been properly recognised over the years for a whole range of reasons. I take this opportunity to congratulate and commend the Salisbury RSL, which each year commemorates the anniversary of the bombing of Darwin by reminding us all of what happened then and also paying respects to the families whose lives were lost and to those who were injured.