The scene at the Pentagon after the September 11 attack.

The first anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the US will be a time of reflection. We will reflect on the horror of that day and on the sorrow that it brought to so many people around the world.

But we should also take time to reflect on the great strengths that those cowardly attacks have revealed.

The families of those who perished have shown remarkable strength and resolve to move on with their lives while honoring the memories of their loved ones.

Communities around the world have shown their resilience and compassion in embracing and supporting those families.

And peace-loving nations have stood together in a determined show of strength against those who perpetrated the attacks, those who may choose to follow their example, and those who choose to harbor them.

Australia was not a direct target of these attacks, even though Australians lost their lives.

But Australia recognised that these acts of terrorism were not simply attacks on individuals or on the United States – they were attacks on a way of life and on a system of values which we all hold true.

Australia’s involvement in the Coalition Against Terrorism is based on our commitment to the principles of peace, democratic government and individual freedom.

The men and women of the ADF have been called on to serve as part of that show of strength in support of a free and peaceful world.

I have visited our Special Forces on the ground in Afghanistan, our sailors serving as part of the Maritime Interception Force in the Gulf and our RAAF personnel performing vital air-to-air refuelling over Kyrgyzstan.

I have witnessed first-hand the strength of their commitment and their outstanding levels of professionalism. Our nation also appreciates the strength shown by their families during these long and tense absences.

The efforts of our forces on the ground, of course, have been backed by the vital support of a strong Defence organisation at home.

Australia has played its part, in concert with the US and the other nations of the Coalition Against Terrorism, in ensuring that our world is not cowered by the senseless acts of terrorism we witnessed just 12 months ago.

Robert Hill
Minister for Defence

.