HMAS Sydney welcomed four federal parliamentarians on board during the sea phase of Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) off the coast of Hawaii.
Senators Leah Blyth and Jessica Collins and Members of Parliament Leon Rebello and Ben Small were in Hawaii during RIMPAC as part of the Australian Defence Force Parliamentary Program (ADFPP).
This program aims to increase awareness among parliamentarians of the capabilities of the ADF and provides insight into the complexities associated with defending Australia and its national interests.
Sydney packed a day full of activities and information sessions for the parliamentarians, starting with a sunrise sea boat ride to join the ship.
“It was awesome,” Mrs Collins said.
“As we went around the ship today every person that we spoke to had a very important job and every person I spoke to I thought, ‘You have the coolest job in the world, I’d love to do that, take a career change’. And then I’d speak to the next person and think, ‘Ah no, you have the coolest job in the world’.
“The morale level was really high. I was really impressed with the wellbeing and the pastoral care that the leadership provide to everyone on the ship.”
‘For us, going back to Canberra and remembering that it’s the decisions that we make that affect you guys is probably the most important takeaway for all of us.’
She loved that the traditions and culture of the Navy were maintained and believed it contributed, along with the process and the maintenance, to the success of the ship.
Mrs Collins spoke to all ranks on board, from the captain to the junior sailors, to understand why people enlist, what keeps them here and what makes them think about going elsewhere.
“For us, going back to Canberra and remembering that it’s the decisions that we make that affect you guys is probably the most important takeaway for all of us,” she said.
Federal Member for Forrest Ben Small said the day on board Sydney was the pinnacle of what the ADFPP is.
“It was an opportunity for us to get out of Canberra and come and see what our Defence Force personnel do each and every day,” Mr Small said.
“It was an opportunity to interact with all different ranks on board, to hear their individual stories and to talk about what works for them, what motivated them to join the ADF and to be part of serving our country is really special.”
He said what stood out for him was the sense of camaraderie and the ship’s culture.
‘I think it’s really special. It’s what I hoped we would see in the ADF and we’ve absolutely seen the best of it today.’
“You can tell this is a group of 240 really enthusiastic, patriotic Australians who all have a role to play on board and are proud of it,” he said.
“I think it’s really special. It’s what I hoped we would see in the ADF and we’ve absolutely seen the best of it today.”
Commanding Officer Sydney Commander Hayden Jenkins said it was a full day of activity for the parliamentarians.
“The ADFPP visit enabled Sydney to demonstrate the ship’s capabilities while providing hands on opportunities for the parliamentarians to be fully immersed in activities that are undertaken at sea,” Commander Jenkins said.
“The visit included 17 unique experiences across the ship that enabled a group of enthusiastic crew members across all rank cohorts to showcase their roles that collectively maintain Sydney’s operational capability.
“The parliamentarians were fully integrated throughout the day, with Sydney’s chefs appreciating the temporary addition of four team members who assisted in lunch preparations.
“A highlight for the crew was the opportunity to share personal experiences of their time at sea and work beside the parliamentarians for a day as Sydney participated in RIMPAC.”
