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

One of the very special opportunities afforded to us as members and senators in this place is to join in the ADF Parliamentary Program. I'd like to stop there, because I notice there are quite a few soldiers here, I think—

Andrew Hastie (Canning, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

From RMC.

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

from RMC, according to my colleague the member for Canning, and I'd like to pay tribute to those servicemen and servicewomen and recognise them here in the chamber today.

This year I had the wonderful opportunity to participate, with my colleague the member for Forrest, in the RIMPAC exercise. I just can't understand why they always give me that top bunk! But that's a whole other issue. I want particularly to put on record my appreciation to Commander Jonathan Earley and the crew of the Adelaide, who hosted us for several days and nights on board. These are very special events, and I encourage all my colleagues to participate in them. In the last week of September the tide changed, so to speak, and I had the pleasure of hosting Leading Aircraftwoman Melissa Flint from the Royal Australian Air Force.

This exchange gives ADF members the opportunity to work alongside parliamentarians and develop a greater understanding of our work in this place. The significance of the Australian Defence Force has never been greater. These activities afford us the opportunity to get a small sample of their roles and experience, their contribution and, importantly, their points of view on the decisions we make in this place. I place on record my appreciation to all the servicemen and servicewomen involved in the ADFPP.