Steve Fielding (Victoria, Family First Party) Share this | Hansard source

Family First joins in this condolence motion and acknowledges Private Aplin’s, Private Chuck’s and Private Palmer’s dedication to our country, their service for this country and their willingness to put their lives in dangerous circumstances so that we may enjoy our freedoms. The freedoms that we enjoy today are because many others have sacrificed a lot for the safety and freedoms that we have today.

It is hard to know what it would really feel like to lose a husband; it is hard to know what it would be like to lose a son or a daughter, a brother or a sister, and I think of the families of Private Aplin, Private Chuck and Private Palmer. Hopefully, this condolence motion will bring some comfort to all of them, knowing that this nation says thank you to them.

I watched the news last night and heard a couple of close relatives—I think one was a mother, and there was some other family member—just sharing about the ones who had been lost previously. I do not think that now is the time to talk about what we do with the war in Afghanistan. This is about a condolence motion and about saying thank you. Hopefully, this will bring some comfort to those families who have lost loved ones. We do also continue to extend our prayers and thoughts out to those who are wounded, for a speedy recovery for them.