Mr GUNNER - 2012-02-16
This Sunday marks the 70th Anniversary of the Bombing of Darwin. While the Bombing of Darwin has been marked for many years, this particular anniversary seems to have captured the popular imagination more than any other. Can you please advise the House how we will be commemorating the Defence of Darwin?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his question. This coming Sunday we will be commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the Bombing of Darwin, a very important part of this nation’s history and a vitally important history for this city.
I have had the fortune of having a quick look at the new Defence of Darwin Experience at East Point. I am pleased to advise the House that this is a world-class display ...
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim! It is the third time this week. You might like to take your phone outside, please.
Mr Tollner: It is turned off, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: No, outside, thank you.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, I believe this is a world-class experience. It was very exciting to be there today to see what many thousands of residents of Darwin and thousands of tourists will see over the years. They will have a real experience of what it was like to be here 70 years ago when the bombs fell on Darwin through the eyes of a number of different characters who were here at the time.
The Bombing of Darwin will be commemorated with a visit from the Governor-General, the Prime Minister of Australia, the federal Leader of the Opposition, the Ambassador for the United States, the Ambassador for Japan, and the Ambassador for Indonesia, together with many hundreds of former military personnel who are now getting into very senior years, and many hundreds of senior citizens from Darwin who will be commemorating that event of 70 years ago.
The size and scale of the attack on Darwin at 9.58 am on 19 February 1942 was unprecedented. They were the same planes that attacked Pearl Harbour 10 weeks earlier: 54 land-based bombers and 188 attack aircraft launched from four Japanese aircraft carriers in the Timor Sea. At least 243 people killed, with 300 to 400 wounded, and 683 bombs were dropped on Darwin that day. It must have been a terrifying experience for the citizens of this very small town back in those days. For the pretty poorly equipped military personnel who were based here it must have been a terrifying day. Over the next two years there were another 64 bombing raids on not only Darwin but on other small towns in the Northern Territory and across northern Australia.
We now have a national day of remembrance. We now have this nation commemorating the 70th Anniversary with the presence of the Governor-General, and we now have a Defence of Darwin Experience at East Point which will tell the story of our citizens and our military personnel who were based here.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his question. This coming Sunday we will be commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the Bombing of Darwin, a very important part of this nation’s history and a vitally important history for this city.
I have had the fortune of having a quick look at the new Defence of Darwin Experience at East Point. I am pleased to advise the House that this is a world-class display ...
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim! It is the third time this week. You might like to take your phone outside, please.
Mr Tollner: It is turned off, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: No, outside, thank you.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, I believe this is a world-class experience. It was very exciting to be there today to see what many thousands of residents of Darwin and thousands of tourists will see over the years. They will have a real experience of what it was like to be here 70 years ago when the bombs fell on Darwin through the eyes of a number of different characters who were here at the time.
The Bombing of Darwin will be commemorated with a visit from the Governor-General, the Prime Minister of Australia, the federal Leader of the Opposition, the Ambassador for the United States, the Ambassador for Japan, and the Ambassador for Indonesia, together with many hundreds of former military personnel who are now getting into very senior years, and many hundreds of senior citizens from Darwin who will be commemorating that event of 70 years ago.
The size and scale of the attack on Darwin at 9.58 am on 19 February 1942 was unprecedented. They were the same planes that attacked Pearl Harbour 10 weeks earlier: 54 land-based bombers and 188 attack aircraft launched from four Japanese aircraft carriers in the Timor Sea. At least 243 people killed, with 300 to 400 wounded, and 683 bombs were dropped on Darwin that day. It must have been a terrifying experience for the citizens of this very small town back in those days. For the pretty poorly equipped military personnel who were based here it must have been a terrifying day. Over the next two years there were another 64 bombing raids on not only Darwin but on other small towns in the Northern Territory and across northern Australia.
We now have a national day of remembrance. We now have this nation commemorating the 70th Anniversary with the presence of the Governor-General, and we now have a Defence of Darwin Experience at East Point which will tell the story of our citizens and our military personnel who were based here.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016