My name is Able Seaman Joseph Banu. I’m from up in Torres Strait (Boigu). I was in the Navy for three years. Ever since I came out of school I came straight down to Melbourne to do my recruit school at HMAS Cerberus. I’ve been here on 3 boats. One was Stuart, the other one was Kanimbla and another frigate. I was posted to HMAS Albatross after Cerberus. I did about a year in HMAS Albatross and in the time I got posted to Stuart and Kanimbla just to get my experience up, just to get my sea time. Yeah I was posted to HMAS Labuan and did about 6 to 7 months then from there I got posted off shore to the Naval Stores Building up here just to get my ‘complo’ completed and stuff. After that I’ve progressed well. I’ve heard good comments from my supervisors, they’ve been telling me that I’ve been working good.
The only thing that got me joining the Navy was travel. I love travelling, experiencing new style of life, meeting new friends, going overseas, where back home they didn’t get chances to go. Also the American Navy ships that came in, I was part of the crew who actually brought the ship in. We went out and tied up the ship, met up with the commanding officers of the ship and the crewmembers. It was a good experience for a guy like me, an Indigenous fellow, who came from Torres Strait and having to experience this stuff… yeah.
I would really encourage to get more Indigenous people to join the Navy, not only the Navy, the whole defence force - Army, Air Force and Navy. Because of my dad, he was in the Navy and that’s why I was like pretty much wanting to, because me and my brother, my older brother joined me and then he got out. I was pretty much the only one left inside.
I’m hoping to get to Chief, I’m actually a Seaman right now. I’m hoping to do a couple of years, probably 10 to 15 years just to get Chief or maybe a Leading Seaman or PO (Patrol Officer).
A couple months on a couple of other guys have joined in and I’ve been really proud of what I did, like just for me to join the Navy – I was actually very young when I joined in and then these older guys, other older brothers and sisters started to join in. I’ve already got my older brother and older sister, actually my nephew, there’re all down in Sydney; my other brother he’s supposed to go on HMAS Manura as a boson’s mate, he’s doing well. I was pretty happy to actually see all my other cousins join in and it actually making me feel pretty proud of them and I’m actually proud of myself too. To do that I’ve actually made an example just for me to join the Navy I’ve actually let these other brothers and sisters join as well.