Senators Sandy Macdonald and Nick Minchin are taking part in the ADF Parliamentary Program, visiting Defence units in order to experience life in the ADF first-hand. The exchange program also gives selected ADF personnel a chance to step into the shoes of our Senators and MPs.

HMAS ARUNTA, under the command of Commander Timothy Brown RAN, is currently deployed to the Northern Persian Gulf as part of Operation Catalyst. ARUNTA is tasked to assist in the protection of Iraq's offshore assets such as oil platforms, which allows Iraq to generate much needed funds to support reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts.

ARUNTA also assists with the detection, interception and deterrence of vessels suspected of undertaking illegal activity within Iraqi waters. This is ARUNTA’s second deployment to the Northern Persian Gulf and is the 17th rotation of Navy ships as part of coalition operations since 2001.

HMAS ARUNTA is the second of the Royal Australian Navy’s eight ANZAC-class frigates, and the second ship of the name. The original ARUNTA was commissioned in 1942 during World War II and served with distinction in New Guinea and the Pacific between 1942 and 1944, the Battle of Leyte Gulf in 1944 and Lingayen Gulf in 1945.

The name ARUNTA comes from the Arrente Aboriginal people, located in central Australia around Alice Springs. The Arrente Council presented HMAS ARUNTA with a flag displaying a Perrente lizard. The lizard is an animal from the dreamtime for the Arrente people, and is featured on HMAS ARUNTA’s Sea Hawk helicopter.