Senator JOHNSTON (3:19 PM) —I, too, wish to support the motion and extend my condolences and support to the families of all of those either killed or injured by these outrageous and barbaric acts of terrorism. There is, and Australia is an active combatant in, a war on terror, and the events of this last weekend in Bali confirmed for all why this war must go on and why every Australian must be vigilant and committed to this fight. Three apparently synchronised explosions took place in Bali at about 7.30 pm on Saturday, 1 October. These devices were apparently detonated by suicide bombers at Jimbaran Bay and at Kuta. I was at Jimbaran Bay in May last year, observing the election process on Bali, a beautiful island with beautiful people who, at that time, were only seeking to exercise their democratic right in a peaceful, proper and appropriate way.

These bombs have taken the lives of—at this time—two Australians and injured some 17 others. There has been confirmation that a 16-year-old Busselton boy, Brendan Fitzgerald, was one of those killed. The other was a 48-year-old woman from New South Wales, Jennifer Williamson. My heart, my sympathy and my sense of anger and frustration go out to their families—particularly to Brendan’s father, Terry, and mother, Lisa. They are both from Busselton. As I speak, Terry is fighting for his life in a Singapore hospital, having sustained severe internal and other shrapnel related injuries as a result of the explosion. Of course, he was standing next to his beloved son when the explosion occurred. Similarly, Brendan’s 13-year-old sister, Jessica, has suffered severe burns and internal shrapnel injuries. She is also in a Singapore hospital, grappling to survive.

I can advise the Senate that Terry’s parents, Trevor and Win Fitzgerald, have flown to Singapore to be with their family, as has Brendan and Jessica’s mother, Lisa. I say to the Fitzgerald family on behalf of all Western Australians: we are all thinking of you, we share your grief and we acknowledge the battle that you are enduring as you confront personally the tragedy and pain of this atrocity. We are some thousands of miles away, but you must forever now bear the pain and loss of losing Brendan in Bali.

My good friend and colleague the state member for Vasse, Mr Troy Buswell, provided what assistance he could to the Fitzgerald family before they departed for Singapore. Troy tells me that the Federal Police were quickly on the scene to assist the Fitzgeralds, allocating an AFP liaison officer to assist the family, as I understand it, through these terrible events and the processes in Indonesia and Singapore. I want to say what a wonderful effort our AFP have undertaken in the very short time that I have been aware of what has been going on up there. It is three or four days later and I am already hearing from a devastated family how grateful they are to the Australian Federal Police. Can I also say to DFAT and embassy and consular staff in Bali and Singapore: congratulations on also receiving the accolades of a very grateful family.

I want to acknowledge in passing the good work of our AFP Commissioner, Mr Mick Keelty, and Senator Chris Ellison, who is here today in the chamber. The AFP was ready, willing and able to anticipate such a terrible event and it swung straight into action. I am very pleased that the government that I am a part of has been able to respond so successfully. I also congratulate parliamentary secretary Bruce Billson on the good work that he and DFAT have done in fulfilling their duties.

I am aware that all injured Australians have now been evacuated through the assistance of the Australian Defence Force. Defence immediately provided a medical assistance team in support of the government’s emergency response team and was in the field by approximately 1.30 pm on Sunday. The accounts that I have indicate that these deployments have been significant and timely. I commend our Australian Defence Force and Minister Hill on their obvious preparedness and their responsiveness. I also say that, commercially, Qantas managed to marshal many planes into the air to get to Bali to assist Australians to come home, and I want to thank them for that.

I want to extend my condolences to all of the families of those killed and injured and also, importantly, to the people of Bali—a beautiful island, as I have said, the home of a peace loving and gentle people. As I have said, I was in Bali last year watching their local and regional elections. There was no violence, no bombings and no terror, just an expression of a will to vote peacefully and to advance their little corner of the world through commerce and tourism. I know all Australians share my concern as to their future wellbeing and viability in the face of these atrocities. They share all of the qualities of the victims of terror: they were innocent; they did nothing to incite or deserve this attack; they were randomly Hindu, Muslim and Christian; they were men and women; they were young and old; and, of course, many of them were children. It is a disgrace. My hope is that the Indonesian government can become better able to root out the extremists and provocateurs behind the perpetrators of these ridiculous acts. I know that the Australian government are ready, willing and able to assist our neighbour in any and every way that we can.