Accounting for these men is a community responsibility that the
government of Australia is expected to discharge. That is, the
Australian government is responsible for the full and definitive accounting for
these six men and this responsibility may extend to the recovery of
any remains that are located. These responsibilities, for military personnel,
are exercised through the Department of Defence.
Regarding this issue, we believe that, as Australian citizens,
we have a moral obligation to the relevant stakeholders,
namely the following groups within our society:
Most importantly but not exclusively, the families of the missing men;
The servicemen themselves, the ones who made the supreme sacrifice;
The current force who stand ready to protect our way of life; and,
All ex-service personnel and especially the ones who worked closely with the men who gave their lives in the service of our country.
Any suggestion that full and definitive accounting is not
required unless requested by the families will be seen as nothing less than
abrogation of responsibility by the government.
Families in particular, and some other stakeholders need to be
treated with sensitivity. They have reached varying degrees of closure on the
death and non-recovery of their loved ones (or mates) but it must not be
assumed that their closure is complete. This is fact.
The families are not
responsible for accounting for the missing men. However, once any remains are
located and identified, it is then that the families should make the call as to what they wish to have done with any
remains that are located. The families should not have to be involved with the
accounting process unless of course they wish to be kept up to date
with the progress of the efforts of the government or the progress of
OPERATION AUSSIES HOME in this regard.