Twenty four years ago Australians watched in shock and confusion as the 9/11 terrorist attacks unfolded across the United States. We bore witness to the human toll of the four hijacked flights that were wielded to claim almost 3,000 lives and harm countless more.
These attacks, made on United States soil, struck the heart of all freedom loving nations. 9/11 was a hinge that swung the arc of our shared history. There was a world before these attacks, and a changed one after them.
Australians are an intrepid, freedom loving people with deep connections to the United States. Ten Australians were among those killed 24 years ago. Our National Museum holds a battered Australian flag found amongst the rubble of the World Trade Center. This shared loss is a reminder of the bond our countries maintain.
Prime Minister John Howard, who had been in Washington DC at the time to address the US Congress, would instead deliver a different message that day to Americans and the world. His invocation of the ANZUS Treaty saw Australians step up to our alliance commitment to the people of the United States. This decision would see the men and women of our Australian Defence Force with their American comrades, and a NATO coalition, deploy to Afghanistan to eliminate al-Qaeda’s capacity for global terrorism.
On this anniversary we remember the human toll of radical extremist ideologies. We remember the powerful bond of our Alliance with the United States and the struggle we share with them against global terror. And we remember the inspirational spirit of the American people who rallied with countless acts of courage and heroism that day to recover and endure.
Today, in our common commitment to a free and peaceful world, we renew our pledge to never forget.