Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to associate myself with the comments of the previous speakers on this motion about Remembrance Day that is before the House at the moment. Unlike the families of other members that have made a contribution in this chamber today, my family were not participants in any great war. We do not have, around our dining table, stories of grandfathers or uncles not coming back. I feel that there are many families in Australia and in my electorate that are in the same situation. But I ask the question of the House: with all these families like mine that do not have an affinity or connection through a personal contribution, why is it that we are seeing an increase in numbers at ceremonies for Remembrance Day and Anzac Day? I suggest that the Australian public are rolling out in great numbers because there is an enormous amount of work being done by Veterans' Affairs and RSLs in our community, and that is touching a lot of families, and that Australians more generally see the benefit and know that they now sleep under a blanket of security that those fallen soldiers have made for our nation.

Recently I had the pleasure of visiting Laidley, in the western part of my electorate, where we made a presentation of $34,000 to our veterans' affairs association to upgrade their kitchen and their clubhouse. These are incredible people who go about their business quietly in my community and work behind the scenes offering support to each other. Some of the stories they will tell you about the aftermath of their personal encounters, of their suffering as a result of their combat or service, are truly horrifying. I am proud that, as a community, we reach out and we put our arms around these people—and a lot of the problems that are out there are still unknown.

I wanted to rise and just let the House be aware that you do not have to have strong linkages or walk up the road with a medal on you to appreciate the work that has been done by the proud ex-service men and women of our nation. In closing, I would just like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of those in my electorate who have made a contribution, because, as I mentioned earlier on, it is that contribution that you have made to our nation that provides the blanket of security that we sleep under today. Lest we forget.

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