Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—Before we proceed to questions, I wish to acknowledge, on behalf of the government, a tragic loss for the Australian Defence Force and for our nation. Warrant Officer Lachlan Muddle died in a parachuting accident at the ADF's parachute school at Jervis Bay. Warrant Officer Muddle was involved in a midair collision with another parachutist during an advanced training exercise. The second parachutist has received treatment for minor injuries.

Warrant Officer Muddle was an experienced soldier and an experienced parachutist. He joined the Army in 1994 and later served with the SAS. Over the course of his distinguished career, he deployed on five separate occasions, including to Afghanistan. He was a highly skilled special-forces operator, an expert sniper and a leader remembered for his humour and commitment to service. As a result of this tragic accident, there will now be a series of investigations, both within the Defence Force and more broadly, and, as the Deputy Prime Minister has said, we are committed to those being as thorough as possible so that every necessary lesson is learnt.

I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say those who serve our country put their lives on the line for all of us, and we think of those risks often in the context of deployment and combat, but Defence Force training is dangerous and demanding. Warrant Officer Muddle's service and sacrifice for Australia will not be forgotten. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones and the wider defence community, who will feel this loss deeply. We honour all those who serve us and continue to serve to keep Australians safe. I am sure all senators would join me in extending our deepest condolences.

James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I rise, on behalf of the opposition, to associate us with the statement made by the Leader of the Government in the Senate for Warrant Officer Lachlan Muddle. Our ADF personnel accept that there are risks in their line of service, but none of them should die in circumstances like this. We express our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the warrant officer, who served our country with distinction for decades in uniform.

We of course offer our bipartisan support for all the appropriate investigations and processes that now need to be undertaken to understand how this accident occurred and to ensure that, in the future, ADF personnel and their families do not have to suffer the loss that Warrant Officer Muddle's family are now experiencing today.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We will now move to question time.