Motions — New Zealand Defence Force—Death of Lieutenant Timothy O’Donnell in Afghanistan

I seek leave to move a motion without notice on the incident overnight in Afghanistan that tragically claimed the life of a New Zealand Army soldier and seriously injured two of his colleagues.

💬 Mr SPEAKER: Is there any objection to that course being followed? There is none.

I move, That this House express its deepest sympathy and condolences to the family, friends and military colleagues of the New Zealand Army soldier killed in Afghanistan overnight, and his two injured colleagues. It is with great sadness that I stand here to mark the first death in action of a New Zealand soldier for a decade. Overnight, at approximately 12.30 a.m. New Zealand time, a patrol came under attack in the north-east Bamian Province in Afghanistan. The three-vehicle patrol was hit by an improvised explosive device and then came under fire from rocket-propelled grenades and small arms. It was a complex attack, and New Zealand Army Lieutenant Timothy Andrew O’Donnell, aged 28, was killed. Two of his colleagues were seriously injured. Lieutenant O’Donnell is the first New Zealander killed in action in Afghanistan since the first deployment of provincial reconstruction team efforts in 2003.

Lieutenant O’Donnell was a young man and a very good soldier. He enlisted in 2005 and graduated from officer cadet school at the end of that year. He served in East Timor as a platoon commander for 6 months from late 2006. During that time Lieutenant O’Donnell’s platoon was involved in an incident that saw him awarded the New Zealand Distinguished Service Decoration. He received the award for his leadership and decisive action in intervening in a riot involving hundreds of people. In taking that action, Lieutenant O’Donnell’s own platoon came under attack. His platoon managed to push back the attackers and save the situation from deteriorating further, with the loss of life being most likely. More recently in Afghanistan, he was a patrol commander who undertook dangerous assignments and continued to display the kind of leadership he was decorated for in East Timor.

This morning the Prime Minister spoke with Lieutenant O’Donnell’s mother and he passed on his deep sympathy on behalf of all New Zealanders. This death is a stark reminder that the risks our military personnel face every day are considerable. The men and women who serve so bravely for us in Afghanistan are people we can all be immensely proud of. They are working to bring peace and stability to Afghanistan, and in Bamian they are rebuilding a province that suffered badly under the Taliban. The people of Bamian want peace and stability. New Zealand is there to help them because we are not immune from the terrorist acts that have been planned from Afghanistan for so long. New Zealanders have been killed at the hands of terrorist activity, and our soldiers are directly protecting our freedom to move unencumbered by the threat of terrorist activity. Their work is of great importance, and the sacrifice of Lieutenant O’Donnell is one that, while we mourn his death, we should be very proud of.

Today New Zealand lost a brave young man, who paid with his life—a very high price, indeed. He will be mourned by his family, his friends, his mates in the provincial reconstruction team, the wider Defence Force family, and all New Zealanders who value and respect the commitment of Defence Force personnel, who work in this country’s best interests. We wish the two injured soldiers all the best for a speedy recovery. Our thoughts are with them and their families. Today we stand alongside the family, friends, and colleagues of Lieutenant O’Donnell as we mourn our loss.

On behalf of the Labour Party I join with Gerry Brownlee in supporting this motion and expressing our sense of loss. Today we grieve for Lieutenant Tim O’Donnell, who was killed yesterday in Bamian, serving as part of the New Zealand Defence Force provincial reconstruction team. We extend to his family and to his friends our support and our sympathy for them at this time of huge tragedy for the family. We also acknowledge the Defence Force. We know that, right across New Zealand, members of the Defence Force will be feeling the loss of someone who was part of their wider family. I also express our sympathy and support for the two soldiers and their interpreter who were seriously injured in the same incident. This is certainly not the time to talk politics about New Zealand’s ongoing involvement in Afghanistan; it is a time solely for the mourning of the life of a young soldier who served in the Defence Force with courage and distinction and who died for his country.

This is the 16th rotation of the provincial reconstruction team, and we can count ourselves very fortunate that before this tragedy we had suffered no other fatalities. On the several occasions that I visited Bamian I was hugely impressed with the conduct, the commitment, and the service of our provincial reconstruction team members. They are doing a job for this country, undertaking peacekeeping and reconstruction. They are respected and they are appreciated by the Hazara people, who are the vast majority of the people living in Bamian. But all New Zealanders working as part of that deployment face the risks that such an operation involves.

Tim O’Donnell was the first New Zealander killed in action since Private Leonard Manning was killed near Tilomar, in East Timor, in 2000. When my nephew Matthew, who was, like Tim O’Donnell, a lieutenant and a platoon leader, was killed in Afghanistan 3 years ago, I received a very moving letter from Leonard Manning’s mother, Linda, and father, Charlie. Her words and support apply equally to what we would wish to extend to Tim’s family at this time. I will read a short passage of it: “Please know that we are thinking of you all and praying that all who love and now grieve for him will find comfort in knowing that he served his country and his fellow men well. The courage and determination to make a difference that young men like Leonard and Matthew”—and now, sadly, Tim—“live and die for inspire us to live life to the fullest, making the most of every moment we have… those who love him and who must now learn to live without him deserve all the tender care that is available.” We recognise the loss of Lieutenant Tim O’Donnell, a man who died in the service of his country, and we pay tribute to him.

On behalf of the Green Party I too want to add the Green Party’s heartfelt sympathies and our aroha to the family and friends of Lieutenant Timothy O’Donnell from Feilding, our first New Zealand soldier killed in action in Afghanistan and, God willing, our last. Losing a loved one is devastating for this whānau, especially when it means losing someone so young and in the prime of his life, selflessly working in a community that has been devastated by war and terror. He was a brave young man, who was recognised for his bravery for his work in East Timor—a recognition well deserved. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time, with those who remain injured and their families, and, I add, with the community at Linton, where he was also based.

We in the Greens offer our gratitude to New Zealand’s armed forces for serving abroad in these foreign theatres. The provincial reconstruction team, of which this young man was a part, was supporting and working with communities in Afghanistan to rebuild and reconstruct their homes, their communities, and, ultimately, their lives. The team’s laudable effort was made successful by the contribution of the young men and women who dedicate their lives to this work. We have little understanding here, those of us who are not part of those teams, of the day-to-day risks that they face. We know that those serving in Afghanistan will be suffering deeply from the loss of a colleague, and we offer them our condolences and support at this time. Kia ora.

On behalf of the ACT Party, I wish to express our sorrow at the death of Lieutenant Timothy O’Donnell in Bamian Province, Afghanistan. This is New Zealand’s first combat casualty in the region, and we send our sincere condolences to the soldier’s family, friends, and colleagues, who have now lost a true hero in the most tragic of circumstances.

Too often in the modern world we ordinary citizens, living our lives in relative safety, forget the role that soldiers play in defending our borders and preserving our way of life. Lieutenant O’Donnell has made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. On behalf of the ACT Party and in this our Parliament we pay our ultimate respect to this brave young man, and we grieve alongside his family. I also send our respects to the two other soldiers injured in the raid. They have both made their sacrifices performing their duty, and they remind us all of why we are proud to be New Zealanders.

Our soldiers are doing a job that few have the courage to do. They deal with the darkest, most savage and dangerous elements of the modern world, and they do it with professionalism and pride. As Thomas Jefferson once said: “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.”, and this is never truer than in a post - September 11 world. We as New Zealanders will not ever let our commitment to what is good and right in the world wilt in the face of these most tragic circumstances. All New Zealanders can be proud to call Lieutenant O’Donnell one of our own, and we salute his service and his ultimate sacrifice. Thank you.

Tēnā koe, Mr Speaker. Tēnā tātou e te Whare. Tēnei au ka tū hei māngai mō te Pāti Māori ki te poroporoaki ki tēnei rangatira o tātau kua hinga i te pakanga. E korekore te marama, ka mimiti te tai, ka ngaro te tangata. Nā reira, tēnei au e tū ana ki te mihi, ki te tangi ki tēnei hōia kua hinga mai i te pakanga i Afghanistan. Ko ia te tuatahi o ngā hōia o Aotearoa i hinga i te pakanga i reira, i taua pakanga. Ki te kite i tōna whakaahua, he tamaiti tonu tōna āhua, he taitamatāne tonu tēnei tangata, ahakoa kua riro i a ia tētahi hōnore mō tāna mahi, mō tana niwha, tona para, tōna toa i roto i te pakanga i East Timor, kua riro ki a te hōnore mō taua mahi. Nā reira, tēnei mātou e tangi atu, aroha atu ki tōna whānau kei Aotearoa nei, me te whānau o ngā hōia, ahakoa kei whea rātou e kawe nei i te kaupapa mō ngāi tātou.

Nā reira, ka mihi au hoki ki te tokorua kua whara i te pakanga. Ko te tūmanako kia piki te ora, te kaha kia hoki mai rātou ki te kāinga nei.

Nā reira, he kaupapa taumaha tēnei mō tātou. Kia mahara tātou i te utu mō te pakanga. Ka utua ai te pakanga i te toto tangata. Nā reira, tēnei au e tangi atu ki a rātou katoa mō ō rātou kaha, rātou niwha i roto i te pakanga ā-ao mō tātou o Aotearoa. Nā reira, ko tāku ake ki tōna whānau, ka nui te aroha ki a koutou, kia kaha koutou. Nā reira, kai te rangatira haere, ahakoa haere moata koe, kohikohi ngā tini mate kia tae koe i mua i te pōhiri ō rātou e kīa nei, ko te mana o te tini, kia okioki pai koutou. Kia mōhio mai koe, kua mau tonu koe i ō mātou ngākau i tēnei wā. Hai te rangatira, haere, haere, haere atu rā. Kia ora rā.

[Greetings to you, Mr Speaker and to us, the House. I rise as spokesperson for the Māori Party to farewell this leader of ours who has fallen in the line of duty. When the moon wanes and the tide ebbs, a life is lost. So I stand here to acknowledge and lament this soldier who has fallen in battle in Afghanistan. He is the first New Zealand soldier to be killed in the line of duty in that war over there. His photograph shows just how young he looks, and despite this, his deeds, boldness, bravery, and warrior-like qualities have been recognised and suitably honoured in the line of duty in East Timor. So we extend our condolences to his family here in New Zealand, and to all soldiers, regardless of where they are serving on our behalf.

I pay a tribute, as well, to the two who were wounded in the battle. Hopefully, they will recover and be well enough to come back home.

This matter weighs heavily upon us. We must never forget that war can cost lives. So I mourn them all in the light of their courage and being so resolute throughout the global wars on our behalf in New Zealand. To his family, I extend much love to you. Be strong. So to you, the leader, depart, even if it is somewhat premature; assemble with the myriads who have passed on before you as they beckon you. Rest there peacefully with them. Be assured that you are in our hearts at this time. Depart, the leader; depart, farewell, and journey on. Greetings.]

It is with great sadness that I join my parliamentary colleagues to express my sympathy and condolences to the family and friends of Lieutenant Tim O’Donnell and his seriously injured colleagues. It is with a heavy heart that any politician sitting round the Cabinet table decides to send our New Zealand troops to war-torn areas. We know only too well the possible cost. Tim served this country with bravery and pride. Today we honour his commitment, not only to New Zealand but to the country where he lost his life. He was part of the provincial reconstruction team, which plays a vital role in NZAID activities. His team helped to provide security and to rebuild schools and hospitals in one of the poorest parts of the world. Every New Zealander can be proud of his, and their, service.

Tim also served with honour in East Timor. I was part of the Labour-led Government that made the decision to send troops like Tim to East Timor. I remember the heavy responsibility we felt at the time, and our huge sadness when Private Leonard Manning was killed on duty in Timor. It is with humility, therefore, that we stand here today to express our condolences to his family, to his friends, and to his military colleagues.

All of us in this House must acknowledge the heavy burden we ask our young soldiers and their families to bear when we send them to places like East Timor and Afghanistan. Lieutenant Tim O’Donnell represents our desire as New Zealanders to make the world a safer place, to be good global citizens, and to help people in some of the toughest and most violent places on the globe. Today we salute a brave New Zealander, a global citizen, a young man who was prepared to pay the ultimate sacrifice in his attempt to make the world a better place. His was a life cut tragically short, but a life well lived, with honour. Our thoughts today are with his family, his military colleagues, and his friends.

On last night’s television news there was the story of President Obama announcing to a veterans group in the United States a further reduction in that country’s deployment to Iraq. The numbers were mind-boggling: a reduction from something like 144,000 personnel at the time of his inauguration, to a figure of around 50,000 at the end of this year—too mind-boggling to take real account of. This morning, when the tragic news came through about the death of Lieutenant Timothy O’Donnell, and the injuries to his two colleagues and their interpreter, it brought a sense of realism to what military conflict is all about. It is not about mindless statistics or numbers; it is about people. The death of Lieutenant O’Donnell brings that home to all of us.

Like other members, I extend my deepest sympathy and condolences to Lieutenant O’Donnell’s family, the families of his colleagues, and the families of those who served with him. He was a man whose military career, still very much in its beginning years in many senses, had marked him out as a person of service and duty. Service to his country in a number of theatres had already seen him decorated for gallantry, and his duty and commitment tragically saw him be in that particular place at that particular time.

It is hard enough for us in this House to contemplate the situation. It is very difficult for those who served with Lieutenant O’Donnell and alongside him to come to grips with what has happened. It is appallingly hard for his parents and family to realise that one of their own, whom they nurtured, whom they were so proud of, and whom they longed to see again at the completion of his deployment will not be coming home. Our sympathy and thoughts must be with all of them, and we must acknowledge again the contribution that he made, the contribution that his colleagues continue to make, and the ongoing service that they perform in our country’s stead. We can never end up by becoming like the television story that I referred to, and simply seeing the people who serve on our behalf as numbers and statistics. This story makes it clear to us that they are more important than that, and that we owe them a bigger debt than that. All of the shields around this Chamber bear testimony to the strength of purpose and level of duty of our armed forces in the past, and the memory of Lieutenant O’Donnell now belongs with those shields as we contemplate the future.

Today, as the Minister of Defence and also on behalf of the Associate Minister of Defence, I express my sympathy and aroha to the family of Lieutenant Timothy O’Donnell DSD and also to the wider defence family. I also extend my sympathy to his two wounded comrades. They have serious injuries, which require hospitalisation outside Afghanistan.

Lieutenant O’Donnell was a highly decorated soldier. As we have heard, he had received the Distinguished Service Decoration for his cool, steadfast, and courageous leadership in a major riot in Timor-Leste in 2007. In Afghanistan he had the role of patrol commander on the most dangerous assignments of the provincial reconstruction team in the north-east of Bamian Province. His interview on television just 2 weeks ago showed the character of a young leader in the proud traditions of the Defence Force, which are reflected in the battle honours on the walls that surround this Chamber.

We should also note at this time that our role in Afghanistan is to assist the people and the Government of Afghanistan to build their own ability to be a nation free from terrorist influence, both for Afghanistan’s own benefit and for the benefit of the wider family of nations, including New Zealand—we have lost people in a number of terrorist incidents.

But today we mourn the loss of Lieutenant Timothy O’Donnell. Our thoughts are with his family. The Defence Force will provide all the support it can at this time, but we know that the family will face hard days ahead as they come to terms with the loss. In this House we should always be aware that although we make the decisions and have the responsibility in deploying our young people to serve our country, it is they who pay the price for those decisions. In this instance Lieutenant Timothy O’Donnell has paid the highest price. Lest we forget.

Motion agreed to.