Mr ROBERT (Fadden) (14:08): I join the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the defence minister to honour another fallen sapper, Corporal Scott Smith from the Special Operations Engineer Regiment, who was tragically killed in action while serving with the Special Operations Task Force in Afghanistan. I pass on my sympathies to: his partner, Liv; his parents, Katrina Paterson and Murray Smith; and his sister, Roxanne. Engineers, or sappers, have paid a heavy price in Afghanistan. Eight have been killed and numerous more wounded during this campaign. They have paid such an exacting price because their role is out front. They clear the path, they find and dismantle IEDs and they protect those who literally walk in their footsteps. As a Special Forces soldier, Corporal Smith was required to do all this plus hold his own in a fight. I have said previously that there is something special about the men who protect the Special Forces—those sappers who lead out front. Their men and their mates describe them as men of insane courage, men capable of holding fear at bay a little longer than most and men who must deal with sophisticated explosives at night, under fire and in a hurry. Corporal Smith was such a man. His Special Ops commanding officer offered the highest praise when he said of him: The type of physical and moral courage required of our special forces combat engineers is what we all hope for ourselves, but in the case of this man— Corporal Smith— he displayed it every time he deployed … Corporal Smith was killed in a battle that destroyed an insurgent network that specialised in that horrific form of IED attacks. During that battle, SOTG subsequently removed over 100 IEDs from the battlefield. Australians and Afghans are safer because of this man's courage and daring. That is his legacy. He was the first through the door every time. That is his valour. It cannot be taken from him; he earned it, and he owns it. Such is the calibre of this man and of those engineers who will follow in his footsteps. Lest we forget. The SPEAKER: As a mark of respect I ask all present to signify their approval by rising in their places. Honourable members having stood in their places— Debate adjourned.