Mr PRICE(12.37 p.m.) —I move:

That this House:

(1)   applauds the efforts of those Australian Defence Force Personnel who served in Australia's Peacekeeping operations;

(2)   congratulates Major Carol Vaughan-Evans, Lieutenant Thomas Tilbrook, Warrant Officer Rodrick Scott and Corporal Andrew Miller on their receipt of the first gallantry medals since the Vietnam War for their distinguished service in Rwanda, particularly during the massacre of civilian refugees at Kibeho in April 1995;

(3)   expresses the thanks and pride of all Australians for their efforts; and

(4)   regrets that the Minister for Defence Industry, Science and Personnel felt it was too costly and impractical to receive in person the Parliament's congratulations, gratitude and recognition of their distinguished service and apologises for the Minister's slight of these gallant soldiers.

Mr Speaker, you would be aware that it has been the past practice of the former Minister for Defence and, I trust, the new one to select members of this parliament—that is, members of this House and senators—to visit Australian peacekeepers at the place of their operation. Both you and I were privileged to go to Somalia and again to Rwanda in company with the then Senator Loosley and Senator MacGibbon. All of us who travelled to see our Australian peacekeepers, I believe, felt it a distinguished honour that we should be so selected and felt it important that the Australian parliament should have representatives to witness first-hand the good work that these peacekeepers did.

Rwanda was no different from Somalia. There the Australian peacekeepers performed outstanding work and were very highly regarded in a country we previously had no connection with. In particular, in relation to the camp at Kibeho that we visited, it is salutary to think that some of the people that we saw there were amongst the 5,000 who were subsequently massacred.

I applaud the ADF for their acknowledgment of the gallantry of those Australians involved in the camp. But I regret that the history of bipartisanship has been misunderstood by the relevant minister. It was never a suggestion when I asked you a question in this place about the awarding of the gallantry medals that a visit to parliament should have been a substitute for the investiture at the Governor-General's residence. All I was seeking was information as to why perhaps those who had visited the theatre of operations were not invited there. Having accepted that we were not invited, I was seeking an opportunity to have the parliament acknowledge the good work of the peacekeepers.

Unfortunately, in response to question No. 1473 that I asked the minister on notice, she maintains the belief that I was asking for a substitute service or presentation. That is not true. Secondly, it was really disappointing that, in her answer to my question, she suggested that the cost of $17,000 in a budget of $10 billion was too much for the defence forces to bear. Last but not least, anyone who has the slightest connection with defence understands there is the possibility of opportunity flights for the RAAF which would cut down the individual transportation costs of the officers involved.

I regret that the minister appears to be or has given the appearance of being very mean-spirited in failing to understand what were basically good bipartisan intentions in wanting to have these officers' service duly recognised by the parliament. I hope in the future that we can learn from this and understand that there are members of parliament on both sides of the House who are always keen to see in particular the outstanding peacekeeping operations of the ADF appropriately recognised. We can do that now on the floor of the House by inviting them to attend. (Time expired)

Mr Adams —I second the motion and reserve my right to speak.