Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) acknowledges that 2022 represents a significant year for Australian military commemorative milestones, including the:

(a) 80th anniversary of the Battle for Australia;

(b) 80th anniversary of the sinking of the HMASArmidale;

(c) 80th anniversary of pushing back the Japanese on the Kokoda Track;

(d) 75th anniversary of Australian Peacekeeping efforts; and

(e) 50th anniversary of the end of National Service;

(2) notes that:

(a) Australia continues to recognise all those who defended our country during the Second World War, at home and in land, air and sea battles to our north as part of the Battle for Australia, which helped tum the tide of war against Japan;

(b) throughout 1942, Australian forces desperately fought to halt and eventually push back the Japanese along the Kokoda Track, in Buna, Gona and Sanananda in Papua, in New Guinea, the Huon Peninsula, Wewak and on the island of Bougainville;

(c) on 1 December 1942, 100 Australians died during the sinking of the HMAS Armidale, the largest loss of life from any corvette in the Second World War;

(d) Australians were part of the first United Nations peacekeeping operation when military observers were deployed to the Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia) in 1947 and since that time, Australian peacekeepers have served in locations around the world, ranging from the Middle East to Africa, Southeast Asia and the Pacific in every year since; and

(e) Australia's fourth iteration of National Service was abolished by the Whitlam Labor Government on 5 December 1972;

(3) expresses its thanks to all former and current personnel for their service;

(4) remembers the lives and sacrifice of those service personnel who have died in and as a result of service to our nation; and

(5) further acknowledges the families who have been left behind and those who support loved ones who have served.

This year, 2022, is a very significant year for Australian military commemorations. In particular, this year marks the 80th anniversary of the Battle for Australia, which was a series of engagements during the Second World War around our mainland and the Indo-Pacific. It included the bombing of Darwin, the city that I'm so proud to represent, by 188 Japanese aircraft on 19 February 1942, which killed more than 250 people.

This year we also cast our minds back 80 years to the sinking of HMAS Armidale in action in World War II. On 1 December 1942, 100 Australians died during the sinking of HMAS Armidale. This was the largest loss of life from any corvette in the Second World War. The Armidale was operating out of Darwin. It left Darwin with orders to evacuate our troops and civilians from Timor in the face of the Japanese invasion. Operating in broad daylight, the Armidale took a direct hit. Among the crew of the Armidale was a young Tasmanian called Teddy Sheean, who was, of course, posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross a few years ago for heroically staying on the sinking Armidale to fire on Japanese aircraft, stopping them from strafing his mates who were in the water.

I'm very proud of all the efforts of members of this parliament and the Tasmanian state government, and of the Sheean family and friends, who worked and campaigned so hard to get justice for Teddy. I was particularly proud that we all rose in the chamber and spoke up when former Prime Minister Morrison said no to Teddy Sheean getting that VC. We forced a situation where it was reviewed, and the decision was finally made for him to receive that award. I want to pay tribute to Teddy Sheean and those 49 men who were stranded at sea after the sinking and who suffered repeated attacks from the Japanese and also from sharks in the waters of the Timor Sea. It is an amazing story.

This year is also the 80th anniversary of Australian forces desperately fighting to push back the Japanese along the Kokoda Track in Buna, Gona and Sanananda, in Papua and in New Guinea, on the Huon Peninsula, at Wewak and on Bougainville. As well as World War II, this motion invites us to reflect on the 75th anniversary of Australian peacekeeping efforts this year. Australians were part of the first United Nations peacekeeping operation when military observers were deployed to the Dutch East Indies—now called Indonesia—in 1947. In every year since that time, Australian peacekeepers have served in locations throughout the world, ranging from the Middle East, Africa, South-East Asia and the Pacific,. Finally, this year is also the 50th anniversary of the year that Australia's fourth iteration of national service was abolished by the Whitlam Labor government on 5 December 1972.

These were all exceptionally important events in our national life. It's only fitting that we thank all former and current personnel for their service in these and in other operations. ASPI fellow Graeme Dobell recently wrote that, over a span of 90 years, Australia went to war no fewer than nine times. He reflected that, over the 100 years since 1914, Australian personnel were on active service for 47 years or half of that time. That's incredible and it says a lot about Australia's involvement in world affairs relative to our population and about our standing up for what is right, standing up for freedom and standing up against oppressors. Our country has seen a significantly intense period of service in the last 20 years in particular, but, at this time, we remember World War II, we remember the peacekeepers, and we remember all those who served and their families.

Terry Young (Longman, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is there a seconder for the motion?

Matt Burnell (Spence, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I second the motion and reserve my right to speak.

Andrew Willcox (Dawson, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm pleased to have the opportunity to acknowledge and recognise all those who have defended our great nation at home and overseas. It is because of their service, sacrifice and bravery that we experience freedom and peace in Australia today. Thank you to the member for Solomon, Mr Luke Gosling, for bringing this very important motion to the House. We should never take for granted our lucky country because it came at a cost. Today I join with my parliamentary colleagues to recognise those who served in the land, air and sea complex as part of the battle for Australia which successfully subdued the threat to our country during the Second World War.

We have enjoyed sovereign piece for a long time in our nation. In 1942, Australian forces dug deep in Kokoda to stop the Japanese advance. The English had been defeated in Singapore and the Americans had lost the Philippines. The first to turn back the Japanese were the Australians in Papua New Guinea. And those Australians weren't only members of full-time divisions; they were people who were walking the streets of Sydney one day and the next day were fighting the Japanese on the Kokoda Trail. If Australia had lost and the Japanese had advanced onto our mainland, the Australia we know today would be entirely different. The rights and liberties we enjoy today would be horrifically different, so we remember the soldiers, airmen, sailors, nurses, doctors and others who served who, in many instances, were maimed or died for the protection of our great nation, Australia.

War comes at an immediate cost, but there's also a greater hidden cost that takes a significant toll in the years that follow. There are families that have been left without loved ones. This is a grief beyond measure. Today I pay my respects to the families who have lost loved ones and to those who have supported the loved ones who have served. The toll is great on our veterans. Many returned service men and woman come home with significant trauma—experiences that stay with them for a lifetime. It is crucial that we don't abandon our veterans at this time. People who have been good enough to put their body on the line—to put their life on the line—for this country deserve our complete support when they return home, and so do their families.

As a nation, we must prioritise the wellbeing of our veterans and give priority to investment into their support services. The prevalence of PTSD and suicide among serving and ex-serving defence personnel is something of deep concern to both sides of this House. When in government, the coalition invested a record amount for our veterans. This is a legacy that I'm extremely proud of. We made it easier for veterans to make claims by establishing online digital access, and we funded additional staff to help deal with the backlog. The coalition government committed $5 million in my electorate of Dawson to fund a veterans wellness hub. This would have brought an RSL to Mackay, a wellness centre to the Mackay Memorial pool complex and a retreat to Kinchant Dam.

I was disappointed that in Labor's first government budget, veterans wellness hubs north of Brisbane were canned. Centres like this are a fantastic initiative and will make a big difference in the lives of those who can access their services. Investing in supportive services for our veterans is too important to be on the chopping block. These cuts are devastating. However, I will work with the government to see that these services are fully supported and provide the much-needed services for our veterans, no matter what their postcode is. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr Ken Higgins, president of the Mackay RSL, for the support he provides to the veterans and for his strong advocacy on this project. I also thank Keith Payne VC—you could talk forever about Keith Payne—for his work on the Kinchant Dam retreat. Our community is stronger because of local champions like these guys.

The protection and sovereignty of our nation is paramount. We must take every effort to support our defence personnel, past and present. We are indebted to them forever. Thank you for your sacrifice. We will be there for you.

Fiona Phillips (Gilmore, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

PHILLIPS () (): I am really pleased the member for Solomon has put this motion forward today and I am delighted to support it. I will take any opportunity I can to thank our former and current Australian Defence Force personnel in my electorate and around Australia for their efforts defending our country and keeping us safe. The work you do is a source of national pride. We simply would not be able to live the lives we enjoy today if it weren't for you. That's why it is so important that we take the time to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for us. Every loss of life in our Defence Force is a tragedy, and they all deserve to be remembered, respected and commemorated often.

I also appreciate that the member for Solomon has acknowledged the families of those who serve. It is no easy thing to have someone you love in our Defence Force. It is no easy thing to be the one left behind. I have always had a special place in my heart for the families of those who serve. They are a big part of our community on the New South Wales South Coast, with two Navy bases in the Shoalhaven: HMAS Albatross and HMAS Creswell. I guess it shouldn't have been a surprise to me when I became one of them. My eldest son joined the Army a couple of years ago, and we are so incredibly proud of him. But, like many, he's based far away, so it has meant a huge separation, and we don't often get the opportunity to see him. I am inspired by all those local defence families who provide such a fantastic example, and I want to acknowledge their importance. Organisations like the Shoalhaven Defence Families Association, the Nowra Veteran Wellbeing Centre and our veterans organisations all provide an incredible local support service to help families through this journey. I so admire what you do.

We recently commemorated Remembrance Day, 104 years after the guns fell silent on the Western Front, marking the end of the First World War. I was really proud to join with members of the Batemans Bay RSL sub-branch and the community at the Batemans Bay Soldiers Club to mark this important occasion. I always smile when I see how many people come along to mark these important occasions. Our community remembers, and we will always ensure our national heroes are never forgotten. It was a very moving service, with students from the local Carroll College reading out the names of the 26 people from the Eurobodalla who went to war and never came home—all young men, all taken too soon in defence of our country. We will always remember them. I'd like to sincerely thank president Brian Wheeler, secretary Les Arnould and all of the members of the sub-branch for their work putting this wonderful service together.

On Friday I also had the privilege of attending the annual corrective services Remembrance Day service at the South Coast Correctional Centre, importantly allowing our corrective services officers to pay tribute to lives sadly lost. Captain Robyn Phillips and Flight Commander Vanessa Stothart from HMAS Albatross attended, along with members of the Nowra police, Fire New South Wales Nowra, and a number of other local representatives. It was my honour to join with them, and I would like to thank the South Coast Correctional Centre's governor and everyone involved in organising this service for having me along. With an electorate the size of Gilmore, it is impossible for me to attend all the wonderful local commemorative services, but I have an amazing team of volunteers who represented me at many services. Thank you to Councillor Liza Butler, Katelin McInerney, Maggie Lanham, Anthony Lawrence, Chris Cassidy, Cathy Russell, Roger Lucas, Tom Korevaar, Stephen Winslade, Jeremy Murdoch and Kareena Markham for paying my respects at Remembrance Day services up and down the South Coast.

Our RSL sub-branches are, of course, nothing short of incredible. Run by volunteers, they provide an invaluable service to our local community. I want to sincerely thank every RSL sub-branch on the South Coast for the work you do every day. I also want to make special mention of the Gerringong RSL sub-branch, who, on 18 November, celebrated the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Soldiers Memorial Hall. I had a wonderful time at the book launch and high tea to celebrate this great event. Well done to president Mike O'Leary, secretary Jeff McClenaughan and everyone involved.

I want to reiterate my eternal thanks and gratitude to all our local veterans and Defence Force personnel and their families for selflessly putting the safety of our country above all else. We are eternally grateful. Lest we forget.

James Stevens (Sturt, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I start by thanking the member for Solomon for moving this motion. In fact, I had intended to move a similar motion, specific to the 80th anniversary of the culmination of Kokoda and the Battle of Buna-Gona. I very happily instead speak on this motion. The reason I make that point is that my great uncle served and was awarded the Military Cross at Gona Beach in December 1942. He was Major Hugh Dalby. My grandfather, Frank Stevens, also served in the Pacific theatre, in the Royal Engineers. Prior to that, he served in North Africa. We're very lucky in our family that he got on the boat that went to Egypt and not the one that went to Singapore, because I don't think I would be standing here today if he had. My mother's mother was a nurse during the war and served at the Heidelberg hospital in Melbourne. She nursed and cared for many, many returned POWs and other Australian service personnel who had horrendous wounds, sometimes torturous, and other awful experiences, psychologically, that they endured through that whole period of time. It's very appropriate that we as a parliament always take an opportunity to remember the unbelievable service that has been done for our nation by so many brave Australians. That service has put us in a position to live in the free society that we live in right now and to have a vibrant democracy where we can come together and talk about the issues and challenges of the day.

I always find that, when people from overseas come to Australia, one thing that strikes them in every town in this country—unless they're English—is that, when they drive through the towns of this nation, there is not a single one that doesn't have a war memorial at some prominent location. Most of them, first and foremost, were built after the Great War, and they have then been supplemented, tragically, of course, by the need to also memorialise those who served and those who were killed in the Second World War. The way in which service to our nation through those wars was so ubiquitous across this country is spectacular. Not a single community was untouched by both service in those wars and death in those wars. It goes to show the mentality and the bravery of the young men of this nation who, from every single corner, took the opportunity to join and serve, to fight for liberty and freedom and to give us the society that we have today.

I very much join in commemorating the service and the 80th anniversary of those who served in New Guinea, including the two members of my family whom I've mentioned and the tens of thousands who served there, and the many who died there—both there and subsequently, because, regrettably, the statistics don't properly reflect the casualties and the fatalities from service in Papua New Guinea. A lot of people were repatriated to Australia but succumbed to their wounds and to other challenges that came from the brutality and the torment of serving in those conditions.

We also thank the people of Papua New Guinea—the 'fuzzy wuzzy angels' and others who provided such unbelievable service in support of Australian and allied troops in very challenging terrain. That, of course, gave our soldiers such an edge over Japanese forces. I think it was Paul Keating who was a little bit dismissive of Gallipoli—I don't support his view—but he very much held the view that Kokoda was the true birth of the fighting spirit and heritage of the Australian Army because it was very much us defending against the risk of invasion of our nation and us having to be at the vanguard of turning the tide of the Japanese advance through the Asia-Pacific. We remember the service of all those Australians and many other friends from many other nations which ensured that we stopped that tide and that we live in the free democratic society that we take for granted today.

Matt Burnell (Spence, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to support the motion moved by the member for Solomon. On indulgence—I would like to acknowledge the member for Solomon, as well as all members from all sides of this place, for his service to our country.

I will always speak in support of our current serving Australian Defence Force members, those who have served and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the defence of Australia and our way of life for maintaining world order and peace for a time. The motion moved in the name of the member for Solomon allows me to do exactly that. This year, 2022, has been a milestone year in the history of our armed forces. Those major milestones are listed in the motion itself. It marks the 80th anniversaries of the Battle for Australia, the tragic sinking of HMAS Armidale and the pushing back of the Japanese along the famous Kokoda Track. HMAS Armidale is a particularly painful national memory. The sinking of the Armidale will have occurred 80 years ago in three days time. It was a horrific loss of life, with over 100 lives lost at sea. Thankfully, 49 survivors were rescued.

Some of these conflicts really are the stuff of legend. They are exactly that for those, like ourselves, looking back at these conflicts historically or academically. But for the young men out there on the field some 80 years ago, there was no legend; it was just about survival—survival for themselves, their brothers-in-arms and the nation of Australia. Many of us have been touched by these battles. Many of us had family serving in them. It is something that we always like to learn more about, whether that be through quiet chats with relatives, through the National Archives or through the Australian War Memorial, just to list a few ways to learn a little about your family's military history.

When you find out a little bit, you can't help but want to discover even more. Sometimes my inquisitive nature does get the better of me. The Second World War touched many families across this great country and my family was no different. I would like to pay tribute to my family's service: in particular, my grandfather on my mother's side, Federal Stokie Rodda, serving as a gunner in the 2nd Field Regiment in New Guinea and Bougainville; on my father's side, my grandfather, Malcolm Rex Burnell, as a captain with the Australian Army, serving his time in Darwin as part of our homeland defence; and his brother, Noel George Burnell, a flying officer who paid the ultimate sacrifice, killed in action in New Guinea as part of No. 23 Squadron. His memory is immortalised in the Lae Memorial in Papua New Guinea to this day.

This year, 2022, also marks the 75th anniversary of the Australian peacekeeping efforts, something that proudly continued in the years that followed. Australia's peacekeeping efforts were not solely confined to include members of the Australian Defence Force but included police officers who were seconded to these operations, some of whom made the ultimate sacrifice. Australia has always done its duty as good international citizens in times of peace, times of war and in times of civil unrest and upheaval abroad, whether this be close to our doorstep or further afield. Australia has fielded personnel to serve amongst the United Nations peacekeeping operations as military observers in Indonesia, back in 1947, and were the first into the field.

Further, 2022 marks the year I was first elected as a member of this place. In my time since, I have done my utmost to connect with my veteran community within Spence and more broadly across my state of South Australia, whether it be through my engagement with several dedicated, diverse and caring organisations which, like me, want to see our veterans looked after and honoured; my engagement with the Salisbury, Elizabeth and Gawler RSLs; or by simply reading through and issuing a certificate of appreciation through the Saluting Their Service program. When an application for a certificate is provided to my office, I can't help but look through the contents of the application, which is often supplied together with the service record and their history. This is a fantastic initiative that has been a bipartisan one. I'd invite any eligible veterans from my electorate of Spence to make an application to my office for such a certificate.

To the veteran community, I thank you for your service, and I would like to leave you in no doubt that the parliament and your country does so too.

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the outset, I acknowledge the member for Solomon, his service, his recognition of this important motion and the service of all other parliamentarians who have worn a uniform and who have served their country. Indeed, I acknowledge all those who have worn a uniform and served their country in the past, those who do so right at this very minute, and those who will do so in the future. I also note the member Solomon's motion, which includes the 80th anniversary of the battle for Australia, the 80th anniversary of the sinking of HMAS Armidale, the 80th anniversary of pushing back the Japanese on the Kokoda Track, the 75th anniversary of the Australian peacekeeping efforts, and half a century since the end of national service. I acknowledge the fact that Wagga Wagga and the wonderful cenotaph in the Victory Memorial Gardens doesn't have too many days when there are not floral tributes on that World War I monument, and that is because in Wagga Wagga we commemorate and we celebrate so much and so many of the good deeds done by our veterans for these important milestone events. In the gardens, there is a derrick from HMAS Sydney and a mark can be seen on the flagpole where it was struck by a shell during the encounter off Cocos Islands in 1914 which resulted in the sinking of the German cruiser Emden. Wagga Wagga's involvement with battles past goes back to Sudan and even before that. Indeed, many men served in the second Boer War of 1899 to 1902. Of course, we had a long line of khaki join the Australian Imperial Force at Gallipoli and other confrontations of the Great War, the First World War of 1914 to 1918—no war is great.

We are very proud of our military heritage. We are very proud of our history as a city. Indeed, there is no other inland regional centre which has bases of all three arms of Defence: RAAF, Navy and Army. If you spend any given time in the Air Force, you end up at Forest Hill. All of the basic recruit training for the Australian Army is done at Kapooka. And we have thousands of veterans who reside in the Riverina electorate. Many of them come to the commemorations at the Victory Memorial Gardens to honour those who went before us. That is why I will continue to fight for a wellness centre for Wagga Wagga, for those veterans.

Ironically and coincidentally, the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide will conduct its eighth hearing in Wagga Wagga from today. That will continue until Thursday. I urge and encourage any veteran with a story to tell to take part in those important hearings. The royal commission will accept submissions up until 13 October next year. We need to protect our veterans every step of the way. That's why this royal commission is so important—to hear those stories and, more importantly, to act upon what we do here, to make sure that our men and our women are very much front of mind when it comes to legislation, front of mind when it comes to care. I know the Department of Veterans' Affairs does a very good job in doing that, but there are those who have fallen through the cracks and there are those for whom we need to provide every bit of support that we can as a nation.

We have many milestones to honour in this nation. I told the parliament only the other day that there were more bombs dropped on northern Australia than were dropped on Pearl Harbor. That's a thing that I don't think too many schoolchildren know, but it's a thing that we should teach. The very first New Zealander reported killed at Gallipoli in 1915 enlisted in my electorate. He enlisted at Junee. Wilfred Knight was his name, and he fought for the AIF, but he was a proud Kiwi. I want to make sure that his service, his sacrifice, is honoured with a life-sized bronze statue in Broadway, to have that intrinsic important link that is very much at the heart of Anzac. If ever there was an Anzac story that talked about the spirit of the legend of khaki and the legend of Anzac, it is Wilfred Knight's story—a New Zealander who served for Australia and enlisted in country New South Wales. It's an amazing and remarkable story.

Like the member for Spence, many of us in this place have a family connection. Maurice Joseph Curran is mine. He died in World War I. I honour him just like I honour every single man and woman who has donned the uniform, who has gone out and served our nation.

Terry Young (Longman, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There being no further speakers, the debate is adjourned and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.

Sitting suspended from 13:2 3 to 16:00