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

I'd like to thank my friend the member for Gippsland for bringing this motion to the parliament. I acknowledge all those sitting in here who served our nation. I also acknowledge the many brave men and women who continue to serve and our veterans and their families.

The Australian War Memorial is one of the most sacred places in our country. It was built after the Great War to honour those who served, the sacrifice of the men who never made it home and those who came back carrying wounds—some visible, many not. But over the years its purpose has grown, as has our nation's understanding of what service truly means. Today, the memorial doesn't just speak to the diggers of the First World War; it tells the story of every Australian who has worn the uniform—every conflict, every operation, every mission where Australians have stepped forward to help others. It recognises the men and women who fought in major conflicts, those who kept the peace in troubled parts of the world and those who have delivered humanitarian aid and disaster relief when people were at their most vulnerable.

What makes the Australian War Memorial so important is that it is there to make sure that our brave men and women have a place to reflect. It's a shrine where we honour those who gave their lives. It's a world-class museum preserving our military history. And it's one of our nation's most extensive archives, holding the records, stories, letters and memories that help us make sense of what war does to people and to our country. All of this supports its mission to lead remembrance and deepen the understanding of Australia's wartime experience.

That mission has never been more important. But, for that mission to stay relevant, the memorial must evolve. That's why the former coalition government made the decision to commit to a major redevelopment, with work beginning in 2020 and set to finish in 2028. The reason was simple: our veterans, those who have served on all operations, deserve to have their stories properly told. This redevelopment wasn't about politics. It wasn't about monuments or buildings. It was about people: our veterans. It was about ensuring that the next generation understands what our service men and women have done and what they've seen—what they've carried; what they've sacrificed.

For me, it's deeply personal. Every time I walk into the Australian War Memorial, I don't do it as a politician; I do it as a veteran. I walk in as a soldier. I walk in as someone who has stood beside mates in uniform—in training, on deployment, in combat—in some of the hardest moments of our lives. When I stand in the memorial, I think of my mates who never came home: those whose names are etched on the wall. I also think about those who made it home physically but continue to fight battles. Too many of them lost that fight. Their names aren't engraved in bronze, but their sacrifice is just as real.

For veterans, the Australian War Memorial is not just history; it's a mirror. It forces us to confront the cost of service. It reminds us that we're a part of something bigger than ourselves, and it gives families, friends, loved ones and everyday Australians a place to understand what service truly demands. No government of any side or any colour of shirt should ever try and shape or distort the stories told within those walls. These stories belong to the men and women who served, not to politicians. We owe it to the next generation of veterans to tell their stories honestly. We owe it to the families who sent their sons and daughters to war, and we owe it to the Australian people to help them understand not just why we fight but what fighting costs.

The Australian War Memorial belongs to all of us, but for our veterans it holds a special place. It reminds us of mateship, sacrifice, courage and grief. It is a place of remembrance and, for many, a place of healing. As we look to the future, let us make sure that the memorial remains a place where every Australian veteran, past, present and future, is honoured with dignity, respect and truth.

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