Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to congratulate the member for Parkes for bringing this motion into the parliament too. I believe it is a very important motion and one that moves towards greater recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in our country because not only does it look to what they have achieved in the past; it shows where we have been and where we need to go. I would like to also congratulate the members for Ryan and Parramatta on the excellent contributions that they have made to this debate because I think they really highlighted the issues that are so important.

Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders have served alongside non-Indigenous Australians since the Boer War at the turn of the 20th century. As there was no requirement at that stage for recruits to list their ethnic background on their enlistment papers, there are no accurate figures on how many Indigenous personnel served. There was also a disincentive to list that they were Indigenous because Indigenous people were not welcome in the armed services.

Several Indigenous personnel have ranked among the most well known of Australian service men and women. At the moment, as the member for Parramatta highlighted, there is a project that has been funded to develop a complete picture of the contribution of Indigenous men and women have made to Australia's military history. There is $1 million over four years. That project commences in 2013. That will list the names and the backgrounds of those Indigenous Australians who served their country so bravely and so well alongside non-Indigenous Australians and were accepted and welcomed. Their contribution was appreciated by all other service men and women.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service personnel served in the Army or whatever division of the defence services they chose. But, once they had finished their service, they went back into their communities and they did not receive the same benefits or the same support that non-Indigenous Australians received.

I think that goes along with the fact that it is really difficult to ascertain the history of Indigenous Australians and their contribution to the war effort.

Once they left the Army they went back to a life where they were not given special treatment in relation to housing and jobs, and they had to struggle in a way that non-Indigenous servicemen did not. For instance, approximately 500 Aboriginal men served in World War I. They did that because they wanted the experience and the opportunity and sometimes to escape the life on the missions. They hoped that by fighting for Australia they would get recognition and be treated in the same way that non-Aboriginal or non-Indigenous Australians were treated. They thought it would provide them with better economic, social and political opportunities upon their return, but unfortunately that did not happen. Several Aboriginal reserves such as Lake Condah in western Victoria were broken up for housing for ex-servicemen and then given to only non-Indigenous ex-servicemen. I think this really highlights some of the issues. When the war was over their life continued to be marked by discrimination in employment, education and living conditions.

In 2007, 1.4 per cent of ADF members were identified as Indigenous servicemen. Today we recognise and appreciate the role that Indigenous servicemen played. As part of NAIDOC Week, the Chief of the Defence Force, General David Hurley, laid a wreath in honour of Indigenous service men and women past and present. He said of those Aboriginal and Torres Strait island people who championed change within the defence services, 'They dared to challenge.'

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