Phillip Thompson (Herbert, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

'For the most conspicuous gallantry and a pre-eminent act of valour in the presence of the enemy during a Japanese aerial attack on HMAS Armidale in the Timor Sea on 1 December 1942.' On 1 December 1942, during operations in the Timor Sea, HMAS Armidale came under aerial bombardment and torpedo attack from Japanese aircraft. Shortly after the commencement of the attack, Armidale was hit by a torpedo and began listing to port. One minute later, the ship was hit by a second torpedo which broke the vessel's back, causing the captain to order, 'Abandon ship!'

Ordinary Seaman Sheean, one of the youngest and most junior ranked members of Armidale's ship's company, made his way to the stowage position of the motorboat and assisted in its launch. As the enemy continued to fire upon the ship and his shipmates, who were already in the water, Ordinary Seaman Sheean decided to forgo his opportunity for survival by not abandoning the ship and by returning to his action station to man the gun, where he was the loader, not the gunner. Despite being wounded, he strapped himself into the gun and commenced firing at the enemy, damaging at least two enemy aircraft.

Ordinary Seaman Sheean's actions disrupted and distracting the enemy from strafing and killing his defenceless shipmates in the water. He sacrificed his life to save his shipmates and, despite his wounds, continued firing the gun until the ship sank and took him to his death. His pre-eminent act of valour and his most conspicuous gallantry saved Australian lives. His heroism became the standard to which the men and women of the Australian Defence Force aspire.

That act of bravery and gallantry is something that you read about or watch in movies. Under this bill, sadly, Teddy Sheean would not have been recognised with his VC. My question to the minister, halfway through this, is: under this bill, would Teddy Sheean be posthumously awarded the VC? As I read and understand it—I know I'm just a simple soldier—this bill would not allow that because it is outside the 20-year parameters and it's outside of what the bill clearly states. I do not think it is appropriate that brave war heroes like Teddy Sheean be forgotten. This bill will do that.

I reflected today in my speech. When I was wounded overseas—I sent the video to my medic—I was flown back and was laying on my back after being blown up by a bomb in the ground. My medic, Tom Howell, jumped through the dust and the flames with no regard to his own safety. He put his life at risk and did that without thinking about himself. He did it for his mate. I still haven't sat down and gone through this with him. We haven't had the discussion, because when you think of what happens in war you don't automatically go, 'Someone should get a medal here.' I can tell you there was no senior officer on that mission. They weren't there; they spent less time outside the wire than anyone else. There were a bunch of enlisted soldiers there. I fear that if someone were to sit down, 20 years post the Afghanistan war, go through the heroism and gallant actions of the brave people and want an assessment done, that that assessment simply couldn't be done. I think it's silly that the CDF, a senior officer or the minister, who takes guidance from the CDF, would agree to that. This is a bad bill.

See this speech in context