Well thank you very much Air Commodore and my Federal Parliamentary colleague David Tollner. Janette and I are very pleased to have the opportunity of meeting so many of the personnel here at Larrakeyah Barracks, to meet their families, and also to have the opportunity of talking to a large number of people who are involved in Northern Command and its various operations, particularly but not only Operation Relex, but also the very effective and integrated way in which so many of the three ADF services as well as Customs and Federal Police and the Department of Immigration are co-operating to provide such excellent protection and service to the Australia nation here in Darwin. It';s a great weekend for Darwin and it';s a reminder to the rest of Australia of the proximity of Darwin to the countries in our near north. When I was onboard the Customs vessel a few moments ago, I was shown the map and pointed out to me just how vivid was the proximity between Ashmore Reef and Indonesian territory. I';ve had the opportunity a few moments ago of talking to some of the ADF personnel that have been involved in recent boarding operations. I can only say to all of you who serve Australia in the defence forces, in Customs, in the police, that the Government is very grateful, the nation is in admiration of the professionalism and the commitment that all of you have, and we';re also I hope understanding of the challenges to families of service life and life in other operations that take mums and dads and husbands and wives away from their families. And in different ways I hope that we are trying, in co-operation with the services, to make those separations easier and to improve the conditions for families in services and also in the police and Customs.
I don';t really want to say any more than that except to thank you again for having us, to express my great admiration for people who take risks that the rest of the community don';t take in the service and the defence of the country because people who serve in the Army and the Navy and the Air Force and people who serve in Customs and the police do take risks that other people don';t take, they are asked to do things that are more dangerous and life threatening than other people are asked and they therefore deserve a special mark of respect and a special place in our community.
Air Commodore and to you and your colleagues in the three services here at the Barracks, thank you very much for having us, I hope Darwin has a great weekend, I';m sure it will, it wouldn';t be Darwin if it didn';t, and I wish you well and I thank you very sincerely for the tremendous job that all of you are doing for Australia.
Thank you.
[ends]