Susan Templeman (Macquarie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Friday 21 February the Katoomba RSL Club was destroyed by fire. It took three minutes for the fire to turn the entire building into an inferno. The 30 patrons who were in the club at the time were rounded up by the 14 staff members, who had good evacuation plans and, more importantly, training. I want to pay tribute to CEO Nick Darius for having ensured that training was in place. Vital war memorabilia was lost, but club officials and fire officers managed to salvage 125 medals. Five remain lost in the rubble. I have experienced the sifting through of ashes looking for valued items, and I know what a horrible thing it is to do. Thank you to David White, president of Katoomba RSL sub-branch; to Brian Turner, president of the RSL and sub-branch vice president; and to members for their efforts. I have been in contact with the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and have asked for his help in supporting Katoomba RSL through this disaster, and we will work together on this matter. I am pleased to be able to say that everyone is determined that the planned Anzac Day services in Katoomba will go ahead in April.

The role of RSL sub-branches and other organisations supporting veterans is vital in my electorate. Two thousand veterans and their families and 1,300 Australian Defence Force personnel live in Macquarie. While we are just outside Sydney, transport links are poor and we rely on having access to local services and support. So I was very pleased to invite the shadow veterans' affairs minister to spend a day with the hardworking and dedicated veterans groups on both sides of my electorate. In the Blue Mountains, we met with representatives of Springwood RSL, Blackheath-Mt Victoria RSL, Blaxland-Glenbrook RSL, the Lawson Combined Services Club, the Blue Mountains Vietnam Veterans' Association, the National Servicemen's Association and Blue Mountains Legacy. In the Hawkesbury, we were kindly hosted by Richmond RSL with a lovely afternoon tea, and joined by Hawkesbury National Servicemen's Association, Walers Day Club and Hawkesbury Legacy.

Across the electorate, there are concerns about the support we provide to veterans and their families around mental health. The transition from Defence to civilian life, especially employment, was another hot topic. It was disappointing to learn last night that the industry advisory committees, a centrepiece of the Prime Minister's own Veterans Employment Program, do not actually exist, more than three months after their announcement. The committees are to be made up of business people, who will consider how to mentor ADF personnel and translate their skills for the private sector. I hope they are formed soon and begin their work, because every day's delay is another delay for our soldiers, air personnel or sailors, whose transition into civilian life is that much harder. The visit by the shadow minister was a great way for me to ensure the issues of veterans and their families in Macquarie are on the national agenda.

I am privileged to have in the electorate of Macquarie both RAAF Base Richmond, home to Hercules and Spartans, and RAAF Base Glenbrook, home to Headquarters Air Command, who, in their words, 'raise, train and sustain' the Royal Australian Air Force. It was a pleasure to be able to take both the shadow defence minister and the shadow defence personnel and veterans' affairs minister on a tour of these facilities. I want to thank, from Richmond, Air Commodore Richard Lennon and Wing Commander Paul Reddacliff and Air Commodore Bill Kourelakos, and Wing Commander Fleur James at Glenbrook for their time, as well as the many Defence personnel who shared their stories. A highlight for me at Richmond was to sit in the pilot seat of the Hercules and to hear the affection with which the pilots speak of the Hercules, although there is no doubt the Spartans are a beautiful compact aircraft. The base is a vital part of our local economy in the Hawkesbury, and I hope to see it remain there for the many years to come.

A veteran's group that is doing a lot of work in the Hawkesbury is Soldier On Australia, and I was delighted to be able to support their annual Sydney Chilli Challenge last weekend held at the Hawkesbury Hotel in Windsor. Soldier On aims to reduce the horrific suicide rate of veterans who have returned from war and overseas assignments. The event itself involves a number of competitions, including a chilli pie and chilli chicken wing cook-off and child-friendly ice-cream-eating challenges, where the worst side effect was brain freeze. But the main event was the raw chilli-eating competition, where the brave participants moved from the fairly mild chillies to the world's hottest Carolina reaper chilli. It was painful watching it, let alone doing it, but they were doing it for a good cause. I congratulate all those involved in the event, including the 20 small businesses, and thank them for supporting such a worthy cause.