House debates

Thursday, 25 October 2018

Ministerial Statements

Veterans

11:28 am

Photo of Chris CrewtherChris Crewther (Dunkley, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Since Federation, nearly two million Australian service men and women have served our nation. I've always been a proud and strong supporter of our veterans, not only in my electorate but across Victoria and across our nation. I will always be grateful to the courage and the sacrifice of the brave men and women who have put on their uniform to defend our nation. And I understand this personally as well, being the great-grandson of a veteran from World War I, the grandson of a grandfather who served in the Navy at HMAS Ceberus, and the son of a father who served for a period of time in the Army, based at Balcombe in Mount Martha on the Mornington Peninsula.

In a few weeks time on 11 November we as a country of many will commemorate the centenary of the First World War Armistice. It is a day to reflect and to respect those who have served on our behalf. The Anzac centenary has given us strengthened national awareness and increased knowledge of Australia's military history and the service and sacrifice of earlier and current generations of Australian servicemen and servicewomen. Just this July I had the opportunity to visit France, go to Villers-Bretonneux and see the new Sir John Monash Centre there as well as the Naours caves on whose walls are the inscriptions of those who served during World War I and in other conflicts. I must thank the representative of the Somme region, Jean-Claude Leclabart, for the opportunity to go with him and see a number of these sites that commemorate of the service not only of our veterans but also of other veterans who served in those conflicts.

I have also seen this awareness reinvigorated locally in Dunkley, with four community organisations and schools recently receiving grants under the armistice centenary grants program to appropriately commemorate the anniversary, drawing on our local heritage and the recognition across the community of the significance of the sacrifices made. Those who have received these grants are: the Seaford RSL sub-branch, who have received funds to expand their cenotaph area; the Mornington & District Historical Society, who have received funds to display their memorabilia from the First World War, which includes photos of soldiers, medals and old coins; Frankston RSL, who have received funds towards the new Frankston War Memorial and the commemorations that will be held there this coming November; and, lastly, Elisabeth Murdoch College in Langwarrin, who have received funds to display memorabilia from the First World War and to install flags at the school associated with the remembrance of those who have served.

I also recently announced BEST funding of nearly $23,000 to Mornington Peninsula Legacy House at Mt Eliza within my electorate, who do so much for the families of our veterans past and present. I know personally the work of Legacy. I mentioned my great-grandfather before, who served in World War I. He passed away from the effects of mustard gas poisoning several years after that conflict. As a result my grandmother, Patricia Wright, as an only child, was put through school by Legacy when her father passed away at just the age of 48. At the time she was 11 years old. Without the help of Legacy, I know my grandmother's mother would have struggled to get by and to have supported my grandmother.

Our government is also committed to ensuring that the sacrifice of our servicemen and servicewomen is appropriately commemorated and remembered by both current and future generations of Australians. It is encouraging to see so much engagement around the centenary. Earlier this week, on the day of the National Apology to Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse, I was joined in parliament here by a local constituent of mine, who experienced abuse as a 15-year-old cadet within the Defence Force. The Prime Minister later specifically mentioned these victims in parliament during question time and acknowledged those who had been impacted. As we know, those who serve in our conflicts both past and present go through a lot, but there are also those who have been affected by our not operating things as they really should have been operated.

The last thing I will note is that this government is committed to caring for the men and women who defend our country: our veterans past, current and future. We must continue to ensure that we look after veterans when they return from conflict and that we prevent situations arising by taking immediate action to help them straightaway and to connect them back into the community. While there is always more to be done, the government will continue to strive towards better meeting the needs of our veterans and their families. Of the almost two million people who have served in defence of Australia, more than 102,000 have made the ultimate sacrifice. To all ADF personnel, the veteran community and those who support them, thank you for all your service, lest we forget.

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