Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Housing and Local Government) Share this | Hansard source

The Sutherland shire community, which I am proud to represent in this place as the member for Cook, was deeply saddened at the passing of Edward ‘Ted’ Kenna VC. Ted—or ‘Ned’, as he was known to his mates—had a long and close connection with the shire through his service as patron of the Miranda RSL Club. Ned was a regular visitor to the club for over 12 years and his visits were eagerly anticipated by RSL members. Miranda RSL sub-branch President Warren Barnes was a long-time friend of Ned and his wife Marjorie and served as Ted’s aide de camp on his visits. Warren fondly recalled how Ned always took the time to meet and chat with RSL members and how he particularly enjoyed the strong sense of camaraderie which has become a hallmark of the Miranda club.

Ned’s old Army unit, the 2nd/4th Battalion of 1939 to 1945, also has a connection with the shire: the Sutherland Army Reserve unit, the 4th/3rd Battalion Royal New South Wales Regiment, wears the white and green of Ted’s old battalion and continues to serve in the best spirit of diggers like Ned.

The last surviving Victoria Cross winner from World War II, Ned was a national hero, though he wore that badge reluctantly and remained a humble country boy. Ned earned his Victoria Cross in Wewak, New Guinea on 15 May 1945 when he put himself in grave danger in order to save the lives of his mates. On that day, Ned single-handedly engaged an enemy machine gun post that had pinned down his unit, all the while under direct fire from enemy soldiers. Despite the terrific danger and a seemingly hopeless situation, Ned did not flinch and instead successfully ended the threat from the Japanese, saving the lives of his mates in the process.

When I was recently with my colleague and friend the member for Blaxland walking the Kokoda Track—and we think particularly of those at the moment who are in grave danger on that track, and their families—one of the things that both of us, I think, came to a completely new appreciation of was the bravery of those who fought there, particularly those who were awarded the Victoria Cross. On that occasion we were reflecting on the life of Bruce Kingsbury and today, here, we pay our respects to Ted Kenna.

One of the things that the young people who were with us said as they walked that track was how much more they wanted to know about heroes like Bruce Kingsbury and heroes we read about and know of from our own shire, like Ted Kenna. I think those of us here in this place but also those who sit in state parliaments around the country have a responsibility to ensure that in our national school curricula and in our communities we tell these stories. We are the generation linking those great heroes of Australia, and it is our responsibility to ensure that the generations that follow us have the benefit of our first-hand experience of hearing their stories. So I would encourage all of us to do that, in memory and in tribute and in honour of those such as Ted Kenna who paid a deep price for their battles—some the ultimate price. Fortunately, Ted went on to live a long and fruitful life, but his sacrifice was no less in terms of his courage on that day. It is up to us, I think, to be that linking generation, to pass on these stories and make sure that the honour that is due is given and that it does not happen just in a place like this today but that these stories live on and on.

We can celebrate those stories as great stories of courage. Young people are incredibly inspired not by the horrors of war but by the qualities and purity that it brought out in these ordinary men who did incredible, extraordinary things. They are inspired to think about what is within themselves. As we walked the track with our own young people, we saw the same sorts of qualities, and seeing that gives us great hope for the future. As we remember Ted Kenna, we say thanks to Ted Kenna for a life well lived, for a service well performed and for an example well made to all the rest of us. I think we can speak volumes in celebration of all of those things.

We know that weeks later, after his heroism, Ted’s fortunes changed when he was shot in the mouth. Ted was cared for by the legendary fuzzy wuzzy angels before being evacuated to Australia, where he met his future wife, who was nursing him back to health.

Next month Miranda RSL will hold a special commemoration service for Ned which I will be proud to attend and which will no doubt provide a fitting tribute to a man who served his country bravely and proudly and who touched the lives of so many club members. Ted is survived by his wife, Marjorie, four children, 12 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. I can think of no greater legacy than that. On behalf of the Sutherland shire community I thank Ted for his service to our nation and for his wonderful contribution to the Sutherland shire. Lest we forget.

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