Defence

Marshalling Point

ACM Angus Houston
Chief of the Defence Force

Moving forward

Operation Larry Assist

I am very pleased with the way in which Defence was able to react so rapidly to requests for support from the Queensland Government as part of the Commonwealth Disaster Plan in the aftermath of Cyclone Larry.

We currently have about 320 Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel working closely with state government agencies and the local community in Innisfail and Babinda. Under the leadership of Brigadier Mick Slater, we are restoring vital services—including repair work to the local hospital, the school and bridges—in the cyclone-ravaged area. We are also providing health care, environmental advice, fresh food and purified water, emergency shelter, and specialist tradesmen.

Our support to the people of Innisfail and Babinda is indicative of the compassionate and dedicated nature of our personnel. As always, the ADF stands ready to help those most in need. For as long as we are asked to do so, we will continue to provide assistance to the residents of far north Queensland as they recover from the devastating impact of Cyclone Larry.

Operation Pakistan Assist

Another fine example of the compassionate nature of the ADF is Operation Pakistan Assist—the ADF's medical support to earthquake victims in Pakistan—which has now concluded.

Since deploying in October last year, members of Operation Pakistan Assist performed over 9500 medical treatments and over 4000 immunisations. Additionally, our Black Hawk detachment, who enabled the provision of medical assistance to remote regional villages in rugged terrain, performed 74 lifesaving aero-medical evacuations. It is important to note that much of their work was done in very trying conditions, often in sub-zero temperatures.

Importantly, the primary healthcare facility at Dhanni has been gifted to the Government of Pakistan, along with some ADF military equipment and supplies. This gift will result in a significant improvement in the community's ability to rebuild and will ensure that the legacy of Operation Pakistan Assist—the hard work of the men and women of the ADF—will be ongoing.

The efforts of our personnel in Pakistan were superb, and I was so proud to see the dramatic difference they were able to make to so many lives in the earthquake-affected area. I congratulate Commanding Officer Colonel Andy Sims and his team for their sterling effort.

Operation Acolyte

Also concluded is Operation Acolyte, Defence's contribution to the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. I was able to make several visits to the Operation Acolyte headquarters during the height of this operation and I was very impressed with the professional and thorough nature of the work being done.

ADF members, both permanent and reservists (the latter making up a quarter of the 2600-strong Defence team), worked extremely well alongside their Victorian Police counterparts to provide a very high level of security for the Games. We also provided a wide range of ceremonial and general support to the Melbourne 2006 Corporation and the Office of Commonwealth Games Coordination, the Victorian Government's Games organisers.

Under the command of Brigadier Andrew 'Boomer' Smith, this operation, in motion since 2003, required a great deal of coordination and planning, and I congratulate everyone who has been involved. That it came off so impeccably is a testament to the level of commitment and the sheer hard work that went into each and every stage. Though Operation Gold in 2000 provided us with a wonderful base from which to start, Operation Acolyte presented us with new challenges and opportunities, and thus it is a wonderful case study from which we can mount similar operations in the future. Thank you to all involved, and well done.

Anniversary of Sea King accident

Finally, on a very solemn note, April marks the first anniversary of the Sea King accident, in which nine members of our ADF family lost their lives and two were injured on Operation Sumatra Assist. During this past year I have made many visits to ADF personnel, both here at home and on operation, and it has been abundantly clear to me that you all share my sense of loss and grief over this tragedy.

On Sunday, 2 April 2006, official commemorations were held at Nias and in Canberra, and a number of other commemorations were held around Australia. These services provided us all with an opportunity to honour the memory of Squadron Leader Paul McCarthy, Lieutenant Matthew Davey, Lieutenant Jonathan King, Lieutenant Paul Kimlin, Lieutenant Matthew Goodall, Flight Lieutenant Lynne Rowbottom, Petty Officer Stephen Slattery, Sergeant Wendy Jones and Leading Seaman Scott Bennet, and to pay tribute to their service and sacrifice.

This month particularly, my thoughts are with the families, friends and colleagues of those lost and also with the survivors of this accident, Corporal Scott Nichols and Leading Seaman Shane Warburton, and their families.

I remain committed to establishing the cause of this accident, preventing as far as possible an accident of this nature from occurring again, and ensuring that the families of the victims, and the survivors and their families, continue to receive the level of support they require.

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