Matt Burnell (Spence, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to support the motion moved by the member for Solomon. On indulgence—I would like to acknowledge the member for Solomon, as well as all members from all sides of this place, for his service to our country.

I will always speak in support of our current serving Australian Defence Force members, those who have served and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the defence of Australia and our way of life for maintaining world order and peace for a time. The motion moved in the name of the member for Solomon allows me to do exactly that. This year, 2022, has been a milestone year in the history of our armed forces. Those major milestones are listed in the motion itself. It marks the 80th anniversaries of the Battle for Australia, the tragic sinking of HMAS Armidale and the pushing back of the Japanese along the famous Kokoda Track. HMAS Armidale is a particularly painful national memory. The sinking of the Armidale will have occurred 80 years ago in three days time. It was a horrific loss of life, with over 100 lives lost at sea. Thankfully, 49 survivors were rescued.

Some of these conflicts really are the stuff of legend. They are exactly that for those, like ourselves, looking back at these conflicts historically or academically. But for the young men out there on the field some 80 years ago, there was no legend; it was just about survival—survival for themselves, their brothers-in-arms and the nation of Australia. Many of us have been touched by these battles. Many of us had family serving in them. It is something that we always like to learn more about, whether that be through quiet chats with relatives, through the National Archives or through the Australian War Memorial, just to list a few ways to learn a little about your family's military history.

When you find out a little bit, you can't help but want to discover even more. Sometimes my inquisitive nature does get the better of me. The Second World War touched many families across this great country and my family was no different. I would like to pay tribute to my family's service: in particular, my grandfather on my mother's side, Federal Stokie Rodda, serving as a gunner in the 2nd Field Regiment in New Guinea and Bougainville; on my father's side, my grandfather, Malcolm Rex Burnell, as a captain with the Australian Army, serving his time in Darwin as part of our homeland defence; and his brother, Noel George Burnell, a flying officer who paid the ultimate sacrifice, killed in action in New Guinea as part of No. 23 Squadron. His memory is immortalised in the Lae Memorial in Papua New Guinea to this day.

This year, 2022, also marks the 75th anniversary of the Australian peacekeeping efforts, something that proudly continued in the years that followed. Australia's peacekeeping efforts were not solely confined to include members of the Australian Defence Force but included police officers who were seconded to these operations, some of whom made the ultimate sacrifice. Australia has always done its duty as good international citizens in times of peace, times of war and in times of civil unrest and upheaval abroad, whether this be close to our doorstep or further afield. Australia has fielded personnel to serve amongst the United Nations peacekeeping operations as military observers in Indonesia, back in 1947, and were the first into the field.

Further, 2022 marks the year I was first elected as a member of this place. In my time since, I have done my utmost to connect with my veteran community within Spence and more broadly across my state of South Australia, whether it be through my engagement with several dedicated, diverse and caring organisations which, like me, want to see our veterans looked after and honoured; my engagement with the Salisbury, Elizabeth and Gawler RSLs; or by simply reading through and issuing a certificate of appreciation through the Saluting Their Service program. When an application for a certificate is provided to my office, I can't help but look through the contents of the application, which is often supplied together with the service record and their history. This is a fantastic initiative that has been a bipartisan one. I'd invite any eligible veterans from my electorate of Spence to make an application to my office for such a certificate.

To the veteran community, I thank you for your service, and I would like to leave you in no doubt that the parliament and your country does so too.

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