Ms ANNETTE ELLIS (4:53 PM) —I cannot let an era pass without bringing it to the attention of this House, which is my reason for participating in the adjournment debate this evening. At the outset, I have to declare a very slight interest, inasmuch as I was involved in what I am speaking about. The Communications Centre, which is commonly called Coms, is a very important part of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It has closed down after more than 60 years of service. As an ex Coms officer, I have more than a passing interest. The Coms centre was established in 1943—a long time before my time in the centre. It operated the telecommunications network between Canberra and our embassies, high commissions and other offices right around the world.

The technological change over those 60 years has been amazing. It may not have been quite as exciting as the Enigma machine that the Germans operated in the Second World War; nevertheless, that change over the decades now sees the closure of the Coms centre. It is the end of a very important era in the public service undertaken by hundreds of dedicated public servants during that time. I believe this really needs to be talked about.

The job of the Coms centre was to operate the telecommunications network and to do it in a very secure way from the point of view of our national security. Cable traffic was covered on every issue that you could possibly think of. Sometimes it involved the operation of cipher and other code machinery. The work was very important, but it was also incredibly diverse. The Coms centre operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year, every year. Government ministers, departments and also members of the public relied upon the Coms centre and their counterparts around the world for their news and wellbeing. The Coms duty operators and duty officers were the after-hours contact point in times of both routine and urgent work. The head of the department of foreign affairs, Dr Ashton Calvert, reminded us at a Coms commemorative function last evening of an example of this work: at 2.15 a.m. on 11 October 2002, a Coms duty officer took the first call from Bali about the terrorist bombing. Of course, a lot of operational traffic ensued.

As a Coms operator, I recall being on duty, for example, on Christmas Eve 1974 when it became very obvious that something was amiss in Darwin. It was not until later that we became aware that Cyclone Tracy had hit Darwin that morning. I might add I was also on duty when Phnom Penh fell during the Indochina war. Memories come flooding back, not just for me but for many of my ex-colleagues too. Coms operators have worked in places of war and conflict. They have been evacuated in times of war and great danger. For example, during conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, they have remained to keep the Coms operation lines open. In civil war and natural disasters, such as earthquakes—you name it—the Coms operators have been there. They have served in places with challenging climates and local conditions and through times of political upheaval and civil war. Their work has been conducted in times of great distress to individual Australians. Sadly, things happen when people travel overseas, such as a death or a severe accident. It is the Coms operators who bring that news back and who are the go-betweens.

There was a serious side to the work, but there was always the lighter side of it as well. Coms centre officers wanted to make sure, long before the Internet or mobile phones were invented, that people overseas in our foreign missions knew who won the Melbourne Cup or the local footy competition—all that sort of news that kept people connected to home during their service overseas. It is really worth noting that this is definitely the passing of an era. There is now a new method of operation in place. But to all those foreign affairs officers working overseas who we see constantly in the front line doing wonderful work, we offer our thanks. We also need to recognise the work of those Coms officers who were not quite so much in the front line. They deserve our recognition, thanks, congratulations and very good wishes, particularly when we see something like the era of the Communications Centre passing. I think it is quite sad in a way. Technology is wonderful, but the passing of an era needs to be noted. (Time expired)

The SPEAKER —Order! It being approximately 5.00 p.m., the debate is interrupted.

Question agreed to.