HMAS Hawkesbury
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Subjects | Defence |
Speakers | Pringle Mr Steven |
Business | Private Members Statements |
Page: 6764
Mr STEVEN PRINGLE (Hawkesbury) [12.06 p.m.]: Recently I had the privilege of taking part in a welcoming ceremony at the Hawkesbury River City Council's chambers for the commanding officer of the Royal Australian Navy's coastal minehunter HMAS Hawkesbury, Lieutenant Commander Paul Mandziy, and his crew. The Navy has a very strong association with the Hawkesbury district. The local museum maintains a comprehensive and excellent collection of memorabilia from the first HMAS Hawkesbury with the assistance of Mrs Beryl Miller and her band of volunteers. I am aware that HMAS Hawkesbury recently performed a freedom of entry march in the electorate of the honourable member for Gosford. Having served in the Navy myself for many years, I strongly believe it is important to maintain links between our service men and women and the community to preserve national security and stability within our region. We often see sporting heroes being widely recognised for their exploits—and that is very worthwhile—but it is also important for members of our defence forces to be treated in exactly the same manner.
In my inaugural speech I made a special mention of the exploits of the men and women who serve at the Royal Australian Air Force base at Richmond, which is adjacent to my electorate, and particularly their efforts during the recent Timor and Gulf crises. However, today I wish to highlight the efforts of HMAS Hawkesbury in maintaining security within our Pacific region by patrolling the waters of the Solomon Islands. No doubt all honourable members have heard and seen reports of the troubles that the Solomon Islands were enduring last year. Australia took a brave step and made the bold move to commit to taking a leading role by sending a contingent of military and police personnel as well as many other workers to help restore order and bring much-needed stability back to the islands. Part of the operation was dealing with one of the major concerns—the potential for guns being moved between the Solomons and Bougainville.
HMAS Hawkesbury and a number of other naval vessels took part in Operation Helpem Fren. The deployment was an operational first for the new class of coastal minehunter. HMAS Hawkesbury is a 52-metre, 720-tonne displacement Huon class coastal minehunter vessel. It is the second of six vessels that have been built for the Navy. It was launched in 1998 and was commissioned as recently as February 2000. HMAS Hawkesbury patrolled the waters around the islands, hunting down and, if necessary, boarding boats that were suspected of gun-running. The ship may be a minehunter, but HMAS Hawkesbury proved that it was far more flexible and capable than its class name indicates, chalking up a list of outstanding achievements including the collection of a massive 333 weapons and over 1,800 rounds of ammunition during the gun amnesty period.
HMAS Hawkesbury was also involved in humanitarian aid support, maritime surveillance and boarding operations, maritime transport, search and rescue, medical evacuations, disposal of dangerous ordnance, beach landings, airfield surveys and myriad other support tasks. The Maritime Commander of Australia, Rear Admiral Raydon Gates, CSM, described HMAS Hawkesbury as an ambassador for the Navy in the light of her efforts in giving regional assistance to the Solomon Islands. At the time of HMAS Hawkesbury's deployment, I wrote to the maritime commander and passed on the best wishes of honourable members of this House, the people of the Hawkesbury electorate and me for HMAS Hawkesbury to have a safe and successful mission.
The efforts of HMAS Hawkesbury also extend to the humanitarian arena. On one occasion in bad weather the ship's company found and rescued six Solomon Islands fishermen in shark-infested waters after their canoe had overturned. The men were rescued in two- to three-metre swells and winds of up to 35 knots. After finding two of the men, it took the Hawkesbury's 42-man crew 20 minutes to find the third and fourth canoeists, about 1.5 kilometres from the first survivors. The remaining two men were found a further 1.5 kilometres away. The mine clearance experts on board were also kept busy destroying 750 kilograms of ordnance, as well as neutralising a World War II sea mine holding 300 kilograms of high explosives, making safe areas that had threatened the local fishing population for many years. In conclusion I thank the Mayor of Hawkesbury, Dr Rex Stubbs, for his efforts in commending HMAS Hawkesbury and her efforts in the Solomon Islands.