A ‘humble and proud’ former hero of East Timor has begun his journey as Australia’s 26th Governor-General.
His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd), has taken his oath of office as the Queen’s representative in Australia.
Hugo Halliday salutes the new Governor General and knows he will make us all proud of him.
Sir Peter was sworn in during a ceremony in the Senate chamber on 28th of March before Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Senate President John Hogg, Speaker Bronwyn Bishop, and Chief Justice of the High Court Robert French.
Hugo Halliday Director Bill Pickering worked closely with Sir Peter when they both served in East Timor in 1999.
Lieutenant Colonel Bill Pickering left, with General Cosgrove centre, in East Timor 1999. Photo Fairfax Photos.
Bill is a former Lieutenant Colonel and was in charge of the Australian Defence Force Public Affairs team in Dili when more than 300 Media personnel from around the globe descended into East Timor to monitor General Cosgrove and his troops as the Indonesian Army and Indonesian-backed militia groups withdrew from a smouldering East Timor.
Major General Cosgrove was appointed Commander of the international peacekeeping mission in East Timor known as Interfet. A referendum in East Timor seeking independence from Indonesia led to widespread violence in the new nation and Interfet was sent in to bring peace to the fledgling country.
General Cosgrove played a dual role of military commander and diplomat as he oversaw more than 11,000 troops from 22 nations.
“General Cosgrove took diplomacy to a new level from the moment he flew into Dili in September 1999 until he left in February 2000,” Bill said.
“Although there were some horrendous issues General Cosgrove had to deal with he came through with flying colours.
“He proved he was a man of the people the way he handled the tricky and difficult military situation with Indonesia and its TNI rebels who had caused major havoc throughout the fledgling country of what later became Timor Leste.”
MAJGEN Cosgrove was appointed Lieutenant General and Chief of the Army in 2000 before later taking the helm as Chief of the Australian Defence Force from 2002 to 2005.
“An endearing action General Cosgrove did when he retired from military life was to visit the tomb of the Unknown Soldier and sign off as the head of Australia’s military,” Bill said.
“This small action showed the mettle of the man that he saluted our military on his way to retirement.”
Bill said a further example of the General’s kindness and humanity occurred in 2006 when he was appointed by the Queensland Government to lead a taskforce to rebuild communities damaged by Cyclone Larry, a Category 5 tropical cyclone that devastated the Innisfail region of northern Queensland.
“He did such a good job looking after the welfare of so many people affected by the cyclone the Queensland Government named a new residential suburb in the Bohle Plains area of Townsville ‘Cosgrove,’”
“I believe Sir Peter will continue to do an excellent job for Australia in his new penultimate role.”