Jane Prentice (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today is a very special day for our nation. On 18 August we commemorate Vietnam Veterans Day and we also commemorate the Battle of Long Tan. Regardless of whether you supported the Vietnam War, or whether you support or object to war at all, our veterans deserve recognition for the sacrifices they have made, particularly when that sacrifice was made through national service. At the time, the Vietnam War was the longest war in which Australia had been involved. As we all know, it was also one of the most controversial. It was the first war broadcast live on television, witnessed from the comfort of our homes. It was a tragic time, a confusing time, with public opposition to conscription and the war itself often overshadowing what members of our Defence Force went through. I commend the then Prime Minister Bob Hawke who ensured that Vietnam veterans were finally acknowledged, as they should be, in 1987, with the first official Vietnam Veterans Day.

Vietnam Veterans Day is commemorated on 18 August each year, the anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan. This year, this day is particularly important as it is the 45th anniversary of the battle. This afternoon, at the Gallipoli Barracks in my electorate of Ryan, members of Delta Company 6RAR will be presented with a prestigious unit of citation for gallantry, as well as a medal of gallantry for retired Lieutenant David Sabben. I take this opportunity to acknowledge the unit's commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Harry Smith, whose tireless efforts have finally seen this belated recognition achieved.

There is no doubt that these servicemen deserve recognition for their gallantry. On 18 August 1966, 108 ANZACs unknowingly found themselves pitted against a Vietcong force estimated to be between 1,800 to 2,500. The battle is one of the best known and heaviest conflicts of the war and one of the very few battles in recorded history to be won against such odds. We lost 18 Australians in the Battle of Long Tan, with 24 wounded. The Vietcong lost 245. The conditions were terrifying. Servicemen recalling the battle tell stories of chest-height mist, torrential rain and of course shots that came out of nowhere. Six men were lost immediately upon first contact and backup companies were delayed for over an hour. The low forest ceiling prevented any air support. Despite this, under Smith's command, our forces fended off a numerically superior force, showing unquestionable bravery under circumstances most of us cannot fathom.

I am proud that the men of Delta Company are being recognised today. It is unacceptable that many of the men who were on the ground at Long Tan, putting their lives on the line in terrifying conditions, had their gallantry awards downgraded. I commend former Prime Minister John Howard for being the first Australian Prime Minister to visit Long Tan and acknowledge the poor treatment Vietnam veterans had received. Thankfully, in 2006 many of the awards that had originally been downgraded were upgraded to properly reflect what these brave men deserved. Today the final piece of the battle for Long Tan is being put in place at the ceremony at Gallipoli Barracks at Enoggera.

I feel privileged to have the opportunity to publicly commend our service men and women, past and present, from the Boer War to those serving around the world today. I hope our defence forces never again face a conflict like the Battle of Long Tan, but, if they do, their gallantry, their sacrifice and their trauma must be recognised.