Kerry Bartlett (Macquarie, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to congratulate the Blackheath Mount Victoria subbranch of the RSL on their 85th anniversary. For 85 years this small but very active subbranch has played an important role in our community. The support and friendship that its members provide to local veterans are highly valued and its role in the broader community is appreciated by many. Equally important is the leadership it continues to provide for local commemorative activities, especially Anzac Day and Remembrance Day.

In a very real sense, its current members are representatives of so many who have served Australia in times of conflict over the past century. They are living reminders of the young men and women who sacrificed so much in the various theatres of war for the protection and security of Australia. As the President of the Blackheath Mount Victoria subbranch, Joe Tassanyi, so eloquently put it, they are custodians of the Anzac heritage. This is a role that members of the Blackheath Mount Victoria subbranch take very seriously and carry out with real dignity.

I greatly appreciate my association with this subbranch, and I am proud to be their patron. Congratulations to the Blackheath Mount Victoria subbranch for their 85 years of fine service.