Trish Crossin (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It was with immense pride a few weeks ago that I helped to welcome our troops back to Australia and also took part with our community in the opening of a new memorial to our veterans in the heart of Palmerston. On Saturday 3 September we witnessed a magnificent sight when hundreds of service men and women marched through the streets of Darwin, welcomed back by thousands of friends, family and members of our very supportive Top End community. The Australian Army Band Darwin provided the marching music as the seemingly endless line of troops moved from The Esplanade down Mackey Street. Joining the troops on parade was Digger, the riderless horse, with boots in the stirrups that, in accordance with tradition, are pointing to the rear, which represents the fallen soldiers, not marching with their comrades but not forgotten.

Following the marching troops rolled the armoured fighting vehicles that provide a symbolic example of their vital overwatch, direct fire, and protective work on operations. This was an impressive sight but it was also a real buzz for the families and the children lining the streets, waving Territory and Australian flags and dressed in yellow T-shirts, provided by the Northern Territory government, that said 'Welcome Home'.

The ADF was represented at the welcome home parade by the Chief of the Army, Lieutenant General David Morrison AO—and I take this opportunity to publicly congratulate him on his appointment and say I enjoyed immensely the opportunity that I had on that day to chat with him about his new role—also, the Commander of the 1st Division, Major General Rick Burr DSC, AM, MVO and the Commander of the 1st Brigade—a great friend of Darwin and the Top End's Defence community—Brigadier Fergus McLachlan AM, ADC. These three very distinguished leaders of our armed forces joined local, Territory and federal representatives in welcoming home approximately 1,300 of our troops who have recently finished their overseas operational service.

Their distinguished service included operations in Afghanistan as part of the Mentoring Task Force 2. This task force was made up of engineers, mechanised infantry and cavalry from Darwin based units. MTF 2 made an invaluable contribution to security in Oruzgan by patrolling further and supporting more Afghan National Army—ANA—elements than any other previous task force. These partnering operations and mentoring will enable the ANA to take increasing responsibility for security in their own country. There was also the Artillery Training Team, Kandahar, who have been training members of the ANA in artillery and the required numeracy and literacy that is needed to perform the task of an artillery operator. Also included was the combined team in Oruzgan, which is part of the team running operations led by the International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF, based in that province. There were also troops from Special Operations Task Groups 13 and 14, which included members of the Darwin based 1st Armoured Regiment. We also welcomed home the members of Force Communications Unit 4, who were supporting operations in Afghanistan with vital communications links.

The majority of the troops being welcomed home had been serving in Afghanistan. However, the parade also provided an opportunity to welcome home members of Australian Security Detachment 17, who were guarding the Australian Embassy and embassy staff in Baghdad, Iraq. We also welcomed back members of Timor-Leste Task Group 2, including soldiers from the Darwin based 1st Combat Engineer Regiment and our fantastic Active Australian Army Reserves from reserve units throughout Australia. Again, task groups need communications, and Force Communications Element 4, made up of members of our Darwin based 1st Combat Signals Regiment, was also welcomed home after serving in Timor-Leste, our close neighbour.

The march was very well attended. There was almost a carnival atmosphere as people lined the streets and applauded constantly. They were so proud of the display of the service men and women from our Defence Force. I want to place on record my thanks to the Darwin City Council for the immense work that was undertaken in organising and hosting this parade and the great reception for some of the members of the Defence Forces and their families after the parade.

The following day—the Sunday—we headed out to Palmerston, where hundreds turned out to again welcome home the troops, in particular the 1st Brigade troops, who are based at Robertson Barracks—or Robbo Barracks, as we call them locally. This also involved the dedication of Palmerston Memorial Park, featuring the newly installed memorial walls. The guard was provided by the 1st Armoured Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Scott Winter. The regiment is to be congratulated on its fine drill and professional turnout on that day.

I had the privilege of reading a message from the Prime Minister expressing our nation's thanks for the efforts of the troops and paying special tribute to Corporal Richard Atkinson and Sapper Jamie Larcombe, who made the supreme sacrifice in Afghanistan. Their family members were present on that day, and I know that the community appreciated their presence. I hope they were reminded from that day of the support they get from a community such as Darwin during this horrific time of grief they are going through. These two 1st Brigade soldiers were killed in Afghanistan while serving with Mentoring Task Force 2, and another eight were wounded.

Thanks to the City of Palmerston for hosting this great occasion and to Mayor Robert McLeod for allocating the space for the memorial park and for acknowledging the millions of dollars the federal government has provided through various grants, which have produced great results for the Palmerston community. In fact, on that day we acknowledged $4,000 from the Department of Veterans' Affairs for the construct of the memorial walls, more than $2 million for local infrastructure in and around Palmerston, $70,000 for playground equipment for the Palmerston community and $62,000 for the upgrade of the memorial park—and I have to say, that wall just tops off the atmosphere generated in that space.

The mayor was persistent in previous months and years in pressuring us and insisting that we gift to the Palmerton City Council a retired Army Leopard tank, which now provides a great focus front and centre in that park. It signifies the close relationship between the city and the military. The memorial park has become a place where all of us in Palmerston can remember our troops—our friends and our fellow community members—who have served our nation, particularly those who have given their lives in the service of our nation. Their names, of course, were the first to be transcribed onto that memorial wall.

Thanks to the Deputy Mayor and master of ceremonies, Geoff Carter CSM, a great friend. Thanks also to Chaplain Michael Quested; the Australian Army Band and the Palmerston City Concert Band; the City of Palmerston elected members and officers; the Australian Navy Cadets; the police from the Palmerston station; St John Ambulance; and the hundreds of members of the Defence Force, the veteran community and the wider community, who were there with their proud family members and friends. They made these events such a special occasion and a special event for that weekend in Darwin and Palmerston.

At a recent memorial service at Robertson Barracks, 1st Brigade Commander Brigadier Gus McLachlan said:

Today will be a very proud day for our soldiers, but it is also a day in which they will reflect on those who did not come home. Our thoughts go out to the families of those soldiers today, and to all service families who have been touched by war.

One of these families was the family of Private Scott Palmer, and we were honoured by their attendance at the welcome home parades. Scott was one of the Australian commandos killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan. His parents laid a wreath at the Palmerston memorial service. Scott grew up in Katherine and is now one of the Territory's greatest home-grown heroes. The fallen are eternally remembered in this place. As the Prime Minister said in her message to the returned troops, 'a grateful nation wishes you a well deserved respite.'

We are extremely proud of our Defence presence in Darwin and Palmerston. We are glad to have the troops back on home soil. The Defence presence is very significant indeed, and recent large-scale exercises and international visits reinforce this fact. The Navy, the Army and the Air Force all have significant establishments in Darwin and Palmerston, including Larrakeyah Barracks, Robertson Barracks, Defence Berrimah and the RAAF Base Darwin. Billions of dollars are spent in the Top End on defence, particularly on defence housing. The permanent live-in accommodation for single soldiers, sailors and airmen at Larrakeyah Barracks will soon be replaced with 230 new apartments onsite, and 97 new houses are underway in a separate $63.8 million project at Larrakeyah for Defence families. At Robertson Barracks, the 1st Brigade soldiers, many of whom we have just welcomed back, will not be missing out, with 680 apartments being built in the accommodation upgrade. Businesses across the Top End are benefiting significantly from the government's housing plan in Darwin, and these investments in Defence Housing in Darwin will provide more than 900 jobs for Territorians. Over 500 houses in the suburbs of Lyons and Bellamack have been completed, with more underway in the new and emerging suburbs of Johnston and Muirhead.

I reinforce this government's commitment to point out that Defence is such an integrated and appreciated part of our community and we are investing in improved conditions for single members and families to make their stay in the Territory as comfortable, as enjoyable and as long as possible. Defence contributes more than $800 million a year to the gross state product in the Northern Territory and stimulates an additional 4,500 non-Defence jobs in local business. Strategically important and valued in our community, our servicemen and servicewomen are integrated and appreciated, and we continue to seek new ways to support our Defence families and members in the Northern Territory.

With me here in the chamber today is Warrant Officer Gary Wight. I will not embarrass him and wish him happy birthday! Warrant Officer Wight has been in the Navy since 1987 and currently proudly serves on HMAS Darwin. He is with me in my office this week as part of the Australian Defence Force Parliamentary Program, a program which I wholeheartedly support. I have participated in it a number of times, probably not as successfully as I would have liked. It reinforced to me that I have chosen well in not having a career in the Defence Force. I am clearly the one who would lag behind each and every time—although I was pretty good at peeling three kilos of potatoes when I served on the patrol boat for a couple of days. That part I managed to do quite well.

I want to take this opportunity to reinforce how we value the work and the contribution that these service men and women provide in our community. To our returning troops, I say: welcome home. You are respected and appreciated, and I thank you for your service. As the Prime Minister said in her speech on that day, your courage, your dedication and your selfless service will not be forgotten. A grateful nation wishes you a well-deserved respite.