CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY
I acknowledge the First Australians on whose land we meet and whose cultures we celebrate as among the oldest continuing cultures in human history.
We gather again today to along this avenue of heroes.
Today we gather to recognise courage.
Today we gather to render thanks.
Today we gather to remember those we have lost.
Those who have been wounded.
Those who bear the scars of war - scars visible and scars unseen.
We gather here at a place inscribed with all the chapters of Australia's proud military history and to mark the end of another of those chapters.
A chapter in which around 20,000 brave Australian men and women followed in the footsteps of millions of brave Australians before them.
In the footsteps of those who carved out the Anzac legend on the beaches of Gallipoli.
Of those who were slaughtered in the killing fields of Flanders.
Of the million Australians who fought in Europe, North Africa and the Pacific in the battle to defend Australia.
Of those who fought in Korea, in the Malaya emergency and in Konfrontasi.
Of the 60,000 who served in Vietnam.
Of those who served in the first Gulf War.
And those who as we meet here today at this great memorial are now writing the next chapters in Afghanistan, in the Solomon Islands, and in East Timor.
Today we mark the end of Operation CATALYST.
We pay tribute to the thousands of brave men and women in uniform who answered the call of the democratically elected government of Australia.
We pay tribute to the hundreds of Australian civilians who provided critical communications, training, intelligence, logistical and policy support to this operation.
We pay tribute to our diplomats in the field.
In a fully professional response to a decision of the government of Australia, you, the men and women of the Australian Defence Forces, discharged your mission in Iraq with distinction and with success.
We recognise the contribution of all those who participated.
We remember, too, those we lost.
We remember Warrant Officer David Nary.
We remember Private Jake Kovco.
We remember Flight Lieutenant Paul Pardoel
For their spirit remains with us still in this avenue of heroes.
We thank their families and their loved ones for their courage and their sacrifice.
There are also those of you who have returned wounded from your service.
Your service will not be forgotten.
Your needs will be met consistent with conditions of service of all our veterans past, our veterans now, and our veterans of the future.
This is the solemn responsibility of all governments of Australia whatever their colour or hue, and however old our last remaining veteran may be.
Operation CATALYST ran from July 2003 until July 2009.
Our Army personnel trained approximately 36,000 Iraqi Army soldiers, including specialist training in logistics support and counter-insurgency operations.
Our Navy personnel contributed a Major Fleet Unit as an enduring presence in the Gulf and to protect the Khawr Al Amayah and Al Basrah oil terminals.
The RAN also provided a training team to work with Iraqi Coastal Defence.
Our Air Force personnel provided intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance and other support to both Coalition maritime and ground forces as well as providing air traffic control and air-lift support.
The constant refrain from other commanders in the field, from political leaders around the world and from General Petraeus as Supreme Allied Commander is that your service was exemplary.
Wherever you serve, my experience is that they always want more of you.
Whether in headquarters functions.
Or in the field.
The refrain is universal.
You are professional.
You are superbly trained.
You know your craft.
You are practical.
You are adaptable.
You are approachable.
You are sensitive to the cultures of the local people.
You are, in short, great ambassadors for Australia.
Trooper Mark Donaldson, our first Victoria Cross for Australia recipient since Vietnam, represented our country at Remembrance Day ceremonies in London last week.
And expressed his great wish for this generation of the Australian Defence Force - that Australians acknowledge their service and sacrifice with the same degree of reverence as we do those who fought in the two World Wars.
There is reason to think that many Australians agree with Trooper Donaldson.
The numbers who continue to attend ANZAC Day Dawn Services and parades...
Those who observe a minute's silence at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.
Those who learn with pride in our schools the great feats of courage rendered by the ADF from the first day of its formation.
You, numbered among the 18,000 veterans of this campaign, are the ANZACs of today.
As we salute the contribution of the troops here today, and around Australia, brought safely back to our shores, we are mindful that more than 100 ADF and many civilians remain in Iraq to provide protection and expertise to our Embassy and the United Nations Mission.
These troops and civilian Defence Staff are providing the ongoing assistance to our continuing civilian mission.
To continue our work to build a stable Iraq.
Let none of us assume they are out of danger's way - for they are not.
To the troops of Operation CATALYST - Australia welcomes you home with a great sense of relief and a great sense of pride.
On behalf of the nation, I thank you.
To your parents, I say thank you.
To your wives, husbands, partners and children, I say thank you.
This grateful nation, Australia, salutes you.