Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

One of my most recent proudest moments as a parliamentarian was standing beside the Minister for Veterans' Affairs on Remembrance Day, 11 November, last year, when Richard Leslie Norden of Gundagai was announced as the latest Victoria Cross for Australia recipient. The actions for which Dick Norden received the award came at the Battle of Coral-Balmoral.

On 12 May 1968, Australian and New Zealand forces set up Fire Support Bases Coral and Balmoral in Bien Hoa, Vietnam. As part of the daily routine at FSB Coral, Richard Norden took part in infantry patrols, where the soldiers ventured kilometres away from base doing reconnaissance and seeking contact with the enemy. On 14 May, Richard's platoon sustained heavy fire during one of a series of contacts outside the FSBs, and these contacts were part of the larger Battle of Coral-Balmoral. Using his pluck and showing care for his mates, he rescued a wounded soldier and recovered the body of another with little cover and under intense enemy fire. The rifleman's audacious actions prevented further casualties; he saved lives.

Army headquarters announced the names of Australian casualties in the Bien Hoa reconnaissance, with the Canberra Times reporting Richard as 'wounded but in a satisfactory condition'. Amongst the many 1RAR who were wounded that week, but in a very satisfactory condition, were two of Riverina interest: Private John Milton Rands, 21, single, of Temora; and—wait for this; the Nationals in the room will be keen to know this—one Second Lieutenant Timothy Andrew Fischer, 22, single, of Boree Creek—later, of course, Australia's 10th deputy prime minister. I rang Tim's widow, Judy Brewer, earlier this year and recalled the fact that Richard and her late husband were in different platoons, but, as she reminded me, they were still good mates.

When Richard returned to Australia, he continued serving with the Australian Army. Nineteen years young he was. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, and that is etched in gold on the cenotaph on the eastern end of Sheridan Street—facing Canberra, if you like. I encourage the minister, when the statue on Sheridan Street is unveiled next May, to come along and take a look for himself, because those initials etched in gold, DCM, are going to be replaced with VC. They should have been VC back in 1968. He got a Distinguished Conduct Medal, and he was very proud of that, but he should have gotten Australia's highest military honour.

Thankfully, and appropriately, because we had a system in place—a process, a pathway—he has now posthumously—because he died in a motorcycle crash patrolling with the ACT police when he was 24—been awarded, or his family were awarded, a Victoria Cross for Australia. The minister and I were there that day, along with Prime Minister Albanese and the Governor-General, Sam Mostyn AC, when that announcement was made. I was very proud, and I'm sure the minister was too; he's nodding. He was very proud, and he made some very good comments. But, Minister, had that process, that pathway, not been in place—and, under this bill that you are proposing and that you've put before the House, it will not be in the future—the Richard Nordens of the world would not be granted a Victoria Cross for Australia.

This is wrong. This is not right. This is not Australian, and I just don't understand why, when there are so many other things we could be discussing, you've brought this bill, as a minister, to this place. It's not too late, Minister, to admit that this bill should not be taking effect. It's not too late to say that you were wrong. It's not too late, and I'm sure we will not criticise it as coalition members if you do admit that this is not, and will never be, the correct time to put in place this sort of legislation, which would prevent the Richard Nordens of the world getting their rightful recognition.

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