Last weekend in Bali in different ways and here all over Australia we marked the first anniversary of that terrible attack on the 12th of October 2002. And today we come to our national capital, here in the national Parliament which embodies more than any other building the democratic way of our life of our nation and is a reminder of those values that unite Australians, those values of liberty and freedom and tolerance.
No words come any more to properly describe and express our sadness and our loss. We have honoured our dead, we have looked upon their smiling faces, we have spoken their names. But by this service today I hope we may seal forever in this national Parliament their place in the heart of the nation - they will never be forgotten.
Bali is now forever part of the Australian story. It has become one of those places that have taught us hard and bitter lessons about the world in which we live. But it has also told us again of that wonderful duality of the Australian character and personality, tough but caring, strong but compassionate.
To the families and the survivors gathered here today can I simply express to all of you my admiration for your courage and your resilience over the past year. It has been a tragic and difficult year for you. You've had to rebuild your lives and re-imagine your futures. Each has done it in a different way, some have drawn great strength from their faith, some have drawn strength from their family and their friends and their communities, some have drawn strength, many have, from a combination of all. I think, for example, of that special bond between football clubs, Kingsley, Coogee, Forbes, Sturt and South Port. A bond that crosses not only the football codes but also our vast continent.
Today is also an occasion to honour the wonderful people of Bali. In the year that has gone by I've heard nothing but praise and love spoken of those people, and sorrow expressed about the fate that has befallen them. It's also a time to honour those who responded on the 12th of October, the men and women of the Australian Defence Force, our consular services, and all the other wonderful volunteers that embody so much of the great Australian spirit. And I know that I speak on behalf of all of the families here today in expressing very special thanks to the wonderful staff of Centrelink that have provided such magnificent support to them over the last year. To all of those volunteers and the medical services in particular I say thank you on behalf of a grateful nation. You held your nerve in dreadful circumstances and you got the job done.
But today is also an occasion to declare again our united abhorrence of terrorism. To say that the Australian people will never be cowed, will never be weakened, will never be intimidated by those who despise us not because of what we have done, but because of who we are. Threats of terrorism will never diminish the Australian character, they will never take away the values that unite Australians, they will never lead us into bigotry or intolerance, rather they will reinforce our commitment to those things that we cherish as part of the special Australian way of life. Let us also remember that terrorism is the enemy of all faiths and all religions, it is as obscene in the eyes of a devout Muslim as it is in the eyes of a devout Christian, a devout Hindu or a devout Jew.
Over the past year I have learnt a lot about what it is to be Australian. Perhaps we were more vulnerable than we imagined, but certainly we were stronger than we thought. I have seen people who describe themselves as ordinary behave with extraordinary courage and resilience and stamina and I am in awe of the strength of the Australian character. Over that time I've never been prouder or more humbled to serve this nation and its people.
May all of those who died in Bali forever rest in peace.
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