Philip Ruddock (Berowra, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As we reflect upon Gallipoli, let me just say that this Saturday, 15 August, is Victory in the Pacific Day. I use this opportunity to speak about this issue, because it involved many Australians treated appallingly—some 22,000 were captured in the Pacific campaign. Most of the Australians were moved to a prison in Singapore, Changi. Many were transferred to the Thai-Burma Railway. There were many members of parliament who served after the Second World War who came with that experience etched in their memory. One still alive—and a great Australian—is Sir John Carrick, somebody whom I admire enormously. Others were Tom Uren, whom we remembered as he passed away so recently, and Sir Kenneth Anderson, a government leader in the Senate, whose family I knew, and formerly the mayor of Ryde. They also included Sir Reginald Swartz, whom I had the pleasure of meeting. Can I say that amongst those that I did not were Charles Anderson MP; Adair Blain; George Branson; Sir Alexander Downer, Alex's father; Sir Wilfrid Kent Hughes; Thomas Pearsall; and Sir Winton Turnbull, I believe no relation. We ought to be very proud of what they were about to do and remember them on the 15th of this month.