Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I move:

That the Senate records the occasion of national significance in the awarding of the Victoria Cross to Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith, VC, MG, on 23 January 2011.

The Victoria Cross for Australia is awarded to those who ‘in the presence of the enemy display the most conspicuous gallantry; a daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice; or extreme devotion to duty’. On Sunday 23 January 2011 the Governor-General, Her Excellency Quentin Bryce, invested Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith, of the Special Air Service Regiment, with the Victoria Cross at Campbell Barracks in Western Australia.

Corporal Roberts-Smith’s citation award reads:

For the most conspicuous gallantry in action in circumstances of extreme peril as Patrol Second-in-Command, Special Operations Task Group on Operation SLIPPER.

On 11 June 2010, Corporal Roberts-Smith demonstrated extreme devotion to duty and the most conspicuous gallantry in action in the face of a very determined and aggressive enemy. With total disregard for his own safety, Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith initiated an assault against an elevated fortification consisting of three enemy machine gun positions and superior numbers of heavily armed insurgents. With members of his patrol pinned down by the three enemy machine gun positions, he knowingly and willingly exposed his position in order to draw fire away from his team mates and enabled them to apply fire against the enemy. Fighting at ranges as close as 20 metres, he seized the advantage and, demonstrating extreme devotion to duty and the most conspicuous gallantry and with total disregard for his own safety, Corporal Roberts-Smith stormed two enemy machine gun positions, killing both machine gun teams. His selfless actions in circumstances of great peril served to enable his patrol to break into the enemy’s defences and to regain the initiative, thereby resulting in a tactical victory against an enemy more than three times the size of the ground force.

Corporal Roberts-Smith enlisted in the Australian Regular Army in 1996 and completed the Australian Special Air Service Regiment selection course in 2003. As a member of the regiment, he has been deployed on Operations Valiant, Slate, Slipper, Catalyst and Slipper II. In 2006, Corporal Roberts-Smith was awarded the Medal for Gallantry for his actions in Afghanistan.

The VC for Australia was established in 1991 and has been awarded on only one previous occasion—to then Trooper Mark Donaldson in January 2009. Corporal Roberts-Smith is the 98th Australian VC recipient and joins Corporal Donaldson VC and Warrant Officer Class II Keith Payne VC OAM as the only living Australian recipients of the VC. This is august company indeed.

Earlier today the Senate mourned the loss of Corporal Richard Atkinson, the 22nd member of the Australian Defence Force to lose their life in Afghanistan in service to their nation. The danger that our forces confront every day in Afghanistan cannot be underestimated. Through his actions, Corporal Roberts-Smith has brought great honour upon himself, his family, the Australian Defence Force and our nation. On behalf of the government, I extend to him warm congratulations and the thanks of a grateful nation for his continuing service.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith received his Victoria Cross for:

… the most conspicuous gallantry in action in circumstances of extreme peril as Patrol Second-in-Command, Special Operations Task Group on Operation SLIPPER.

In an early morning raid on a Taliban stronghold near the village of Tizak in Afghanistan, Corporal Roberts-Smith and two other special forces soldiers were lying in a horribly exposed position just 20 metres in front of an insurgent machine-gun post. According to one report, he was part of a force of 25 up against 100 Taliban. From the cover of a small pile of rubble, Corporal Roberts-Smith saw gunfire tearing up the ground around his friends and realised that they would soon be killed. He stormed the machine gun, drawing fire away from his comrades, silencing it at point blank range. He then moved on to silence another machine gun and then moved on in company to silence a third.

SAS Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith has the words ‘I will not fail my brothers’ tattooed across his chest. To him, it is not just a slogan; to him, it is a commitment. His words on receiving our highest military honour tell us a lot about this man:

I saw my mates getting ripped up, so I decided to go forward. I wasn’t going to sit there and do nothing. I thought I’d have a crack. I’m not going to let my mates down. It just got to a point where we had to stop the fire. Someone just had to move forward, and I think that if it wasn’t me it would have been someone else. That’s what it’s about: to complete the mission, get the job done.

Corporal Roberts-Smith is a giant of a man and soldier, but he is also extraordinarily self-effacing. He also said:

I saw a lot of brave men do a lot of brave things that day. I am wearing it—

the VC—

for my unit.

He also said:

Every single person there showed gallantry.

Laconically, RS, as he is known, described this action as ‘just a busy day’. More than saving the lives of his comrades, Corporal Roberts-Smith’s conspicuous gallantry in perilous circumstances was instrumental to the success of the troops against a numerically superior force. This decisive engagement caused the Taliban to retreat from the Shah Wali Kot District.

His obvious heroism aside, Corporal Roberts-Smith is dedicated to his mission in Afghanistan:

I want my children to be able to live as everyone does now without the fear of getting on a bus and having it blow up.

           …         …         …

I will definitely deploy again … Being a father … I think about my children every second of the day and that is what I do it for.

I do what I do because I believe in the country that we live in. I believe that we are making a difference and stemming the flow of terrorism.

I am just very proud to do my job I do so that my kids will grow up and know that.

The coalition pays tribute to this soldier’s sense of purpose. We stand in awe of his selflessness. It should be noted that his VC follows a Medal for Gallantry that Corporal Roberts-Smith received in 2006. The account of his gallantry near Chora Pass on that occasion—disregarding his own personal safety and maintaining an exposed sniper position under sustained fire, with a risk of being surrounded by the anticoalition militia—is truly inspiring. At one point, while alone in an exposed position, he used his sniper rifle to stop the advance of 16 insurgents and held his position while under fire from other militia until air support arrived.

Our country and his comrades owe a great debt to Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith. He is truly a worthy recipient of the Victoria Cross. He is a great role model for all Australians. We in the coalition salute him and congratulate him.

Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to concur with the remarks of Senator Conroy and Senator Abetz about Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith, who now forever more will have the postnominal VC. He is a person of absolutely exceptional character. The thought of approaching one machine gun is beyond what most people would ever contemplate, but the thought of approaching three is absolutely incredible. This person is also not a small target. Corporal Roberts-Smith is two metres tall. I do not know what that is in the old measurements, but I think it is about six foot seven or six foot eight. The other thing about Corporal Roberts-Smith is that this was not the first time he has done this. He has already received a citation for gallantry. So this person is of exceptional character. To emphasise what the Victoria Cross means, I note that during the Second World War only 20 were awarded. During the First World War, only 64 Victoria Crosses were awarded. In Australia at this point in time, Trooper—now Corporal—Mark Donaldson, Keith Payne and Corporal Roberts-Smith are the three recipients that we have. So it is not something that is ubiquitous; this represents the absolute pinnacle of gallantry.

It is an interesting day today, in that we are talking about three servicemen. We have offered condolences and basically celebrated the life of former Flight Lieutenant Maunsell, who has died at 88 years old, and offered condolences on the tragic passing of Corporal Atkinson. Now we come to this presentation for gallantry for Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith. It should be noted that this is the ultimate statement of someone who is willing to lay down their life for their friends. Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith’s friends—his brothers, as he has noted—were in a position where they were in dire requirement of being relieved of the fire they were under. Corporal Roberts-Smith at that point made a movement forwards that would most likely mean that he would be dead. He did it not because he was suicidal; he did it to put himself in a position which would give the people serving in his section the capacity to be relieved. The action was not done in a sense of insanity; it was done with a full calculation of what the likely consequences would be to him. It was not done by a person who was intoxicated or lacking their faculties; it was done by a person who was completely cerebral and knew exactly what they were about to do. That action, that exhibition of the highest form of character, of the highest form of bravery, recommends Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith as a human being of immense worth. His action is part of a catalogue of similar actions by this person, so it was not a one-off; it was the kind of thing for which he had already received a citation and, in other instances, been noted in dispatches.

We in this chamber commend his character and we have the greatest sense of gratitude for Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith, VC, MG. We hope and pray that he remains safe for the remainder of his time in service.

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

I join with my fellow senators to congratulate Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith on being awarded the Victoria Cross. It is the highest honour that can be awarded to a soldier, and Corporal Roberts-Smith is thoroughly deserving of it. The courage he displayed on 11 June 2010 as he put his life under threat in order to draw fire away from his patrol is unquestionable. His actions saved the lives of his fellow soldiers and were an act of complete selflessness. He is an inspiration to all Australians and embodies the true meaning of the word ‘hero’. On behalf of Family First I congratulate Corporal Roberts-Smith on his great bravery and his VC award.

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to congratulate my fellow Western Australian Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith on his investiture of the Victoria Cross for conspicuous gallantry and bravery in Afghanistan. In so doing I of course want to support the remarks of all senators so far, but particularly those of my leader, Senator Abetz, and of Senator Conroy, representing the Leader of the Government in the Senate.

Corporal Roberts-Smith, like all of his fellow soldiers, particularly those down at Swanbourne, would not invite accolades and awards and would just believe he was simply part of a team engaged in a difficult and challenging mission. However, as a nation we would be remiss not to recognise his incredible courage with the highest decoration a soldier in our Australian Defence Force can receive. I know his family is extremely proud of him. His soldiers and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice would look down on him and smile and say, ‘That is the way to deal with this enemy.’

Corporal Roberts-Smith has been totally supported in his ADF career by his wife, Emma, and his twin daughters, Elizabeth and Emma. In addition, he is the proud son of a highly acclaimed Western Australian, Supreme Court Justice Len Roberts-Smith, a revered jurist in Western Australia and, may I say, a former Judge Advocate General of the Australian Defence Force and, until recently, the head of the Western Australian Corruption and Crime Commission. It is a very proud family heritage.

His VC citation states—we have heard something of it already but I do wish to repeat it:

Immediately upon the helicopter insertion, the troop was engaged by machine gun and rocket propelled grenade fire from multiple, dominating [Taliban] positions. Two soldiers were wounded in action and the troop was pinned down by fire from three machine guns in an elevated fortified position to the south of the village. Under the cover of close air support, suppressive small arms and machine gun fire, Corporal Roberts-Smith and his patrol manoeuvred to within 70 metres of the enemy position in order to neutralise the enemy machine gun positions and regain the initiative.

Corporal Roberts-Smith and his patrol members fought towards the enemy position until, at a range of 40 metres, the weight of fire prevented further movement forward. At this point, he identified the opportunity to exploit some cover provided by a small structure.

As he approached the structure, Corporal Roberts-Smith identified an insurgent grenadier in the throes of engaging his patrol. Corporal Roberts-Smith instinctively engaged the insurgent at point-blank range resulting in the death of the insurgent. With the members of his patrol still pinned down by the three enemy machine gun positions, he exposed his own position—

at great personal risk—

in order to draw fire away from his patrol, which enabled them to bring fire to bear against the enemy. His actions enabled his Patrol Commander to throw a grenade and silence one of the machine guns. Seizing the advantage, and demonstrating extreme devotion to duty and the most conspicuous gallantry, Corporal Roberts-Smith, with a total disregard for his own safety, stormed the enemy position killing the two remaining machine gunners.

           …         …         …

This decisive engagement subsequently caused the remainder of the Taliban in Shah Wali Kot District to retreat from the area.

Corporal Roberts-Smith’s most conspicuous gallantry in a circumstance of extreme peril was instrumental to the seizure of the initiative and the success of the troop against a numerically superior enemy force.

The citation concludes by saying:

His valour was an inspiration to the soldiers with whom he fought alongside and is in keeping with the finest traditions of the Australian Army and the Australian Defence Force.

I certainly endorse that comment.

As a fellow Western Australian I am particularly proud of the fact that Corporal Roberts-Smith is only the 14th recipient of the Victoria Cross from my home state of Western Australia and just the 98th to be invested in Australia. I sincerely congratulate him. All of us from Western Australia are very proud of him. We wish him every success in the future.

Christopher Back (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise also to endorse the comments made by Senator Conroy, Senator Abetz and others. I speak with pride about a Western Australian VC winner, Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith, VC, MG. As Senator Johnston said, he is the 14th person from our state to win the VC, the first being Lieutenant Fred Bell, in 1901 during the Boer War, and the second being Lieutenant Hugo Throssell, in 1915, who remains the only light horseman to have won a Victoria Cross.

In joining in my congratulations I will not repeat the comments made by others, except to refer to Senator Joyce’s comments about Ben Roberts-Smith and his size. He is an enormous man, and, in seeing the most wonderful photograph of him with his two young twin daughters, one on each arm, on the day that he received his citation, I could not help but be concerned for any young fellows in 15 or 16 year’s time who might actually have some interest in those daughters, because not only the size of the potential father-in-law but his track record would cause them to think more than once.

If I may, I just want to quote from Ben Roberts-Smith himself because I think this is the significance and the depth of the man. He was asked to describe in exact detail the incident for which he had been recognised and he simply likened the situation to a football match with his mates. ‘I saw my mates getting ripped up and just decided to move forward because I was not going to sit there and do nothing,’ he said. ‘I thought I’d have a crack. I didn’t want to let my mates down. It was certainly an amazing squadron effort and a good result. We are always hearing these stories about ambushes and losing good Australians but we won and we hurt the insurgency.’ He said again, ‘It’s just like being on a football team. You don’t let your mates down. You go as hard as you can until the game is won.’

I will conclude with the reaffirmation of those comments. He is an old boy of Hale School, one of the colleges in Perth, and those of us who were interested and represented other schools at that time were always very concerned when the First XV was playing Hale, because he played in the second row and they did not need anybody else in their scrum. He was invited last week to Hale School to present the prefects awards to the prefects for this year and he reiterated this theme. He urged the next generation of students to strive for the pursuit of excellence, integrity and the team. He told the prefects, ‘We are representatives of Australia in all we do and must represent these values.’ ‘Remember,’ he said, ‘it is not a single act nor the grand final that you win and lose nor the exam that you pass or fail and not the Victoria Cross that defines you. It is who you are all the time that matters. You need to give 100 per cent always, however daunting it may seem and, to coin a phrase, have a crack at it, fellas.’

I join with my colleagues in congratulating Ben Roberts-Smith, his wife, their children and the family. As Senator Johnston has said, it is a very august family in Western Australia. All Australians are rightfully proud of this man’s contribution and the award that he has been offered.

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I join with all fellow senators in congratulating SAS Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for his conspicuous gallantry in action in circumstances of extreme peril in Afghanistan. I preface further comments by saying that war is extraordinarily horrific for those who are faced with enemy fire and the consequences of that. It is brutish, it is nasty and it is deadly. The memories of circumstances like those that this very brave corporal have been through do not leave one this side of the grave. I hope he will remember that he was in these circumstances at the behest of this great country and he served this great country in that role in an extraordinary way, which has led to him receiving the Victoria Cross.

I will not reiterate the circumstances of that, as good senators have done that before me, but it is notable that this special man not only was prepared to get in the line of fire to defend his Australian comrades but is prepared to remove himself from the spotlight to honour those comrades who will not come back from Afghanistan. I quote:

Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith … urged Australians to remember the digger ‘heroes’ who did not come back alive from Afghanistan.

‘These are the guys who put their hands up willingly and they didn’t come back,’ he said.

‘They are our mates and their families live with that every day.

‘So I will really urge the public to remember they are the heroes, they are the ones who gave the ultimate sacrifice.’

They are the words of a very special Australian.

Question agreed to.