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Listen to this Speech (MP3 - 1.57Mb - 103secs)
Australia has a proud and unrivalled history of peacekeeping around the world.
Since becoming the first nation to deploy peacekeepers some 60 years ago in Indonesia, Australia has been making an invaluable contribution towards restoring order and maintaining calm in trouble spots throughout the world.
From Cambodia to Somalia, more than 30,000 Australians have served in the field as peacekeepers. We have commanded six multinational operations and joined with the United Nations and other regional partners in missions to restore and maintain stability.
Today, peacekeeping remains an important role for the Australian Defence Force and the Australian Federal Police.
Members of the ADF, the AFP and civilians are today serving our country with distinction as members of important peacekeeping missions around the world, most notably in East Timor and the Solomon Islands.
All Australians benefit from this important work. Our peacekeepers promote and restore security and this in turn helps economies to grow and democracy to flourish.
In recognition of this important work I am pleased to announce today that a site for an Australian Peacekeeping Memorial has been identified on Anzac Parade in Canberra.
The memorial will commemorate the proud tradition of service and sacrifice of Australia's peacekeepers. The Government is contributing an initial grant of $200,000 to construction of the memorial and the Australian Peacekeeping Memorial committee will continue raising funds and embark on the process of choosing a design.
It will be a fitting acknowledgement of the professionalism and dedication of past and present peacekeepers and the families and loved ones who have always supported them.
Listen to this Speech (MP3 - 1.57Mb - 103secs)