Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Back and, before I get to the substance of his question, I acknowledge we have in here today a number of members of the Australian Defence Force. On behalf of the chamber we thank you for your service.

Today, of course, is a very special day for this nation. It is Vietnam Veterans Day. It actually this year also marks the 50th anniversary of the arrival of our first combat troops in Vietnam, 1RAR. This is an opportunity for this nation to honour the service and sacrifice of those who fought in the Vietnam War and to honour those 521 Australians who died in the Vietnam War and an opportunity for this chamber, the parliament and the nation to honour the families of those service men and women. Some 60,000 Australian men and women—predominately men—served in the Vietnam War. Today at Anzac Parade it was a great honour for me to join the Governor-General, the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition in a commemoration run by the ACT branch.

It is fair to say that the way this nation treated a number of those men on their return from Vietnam was a disgrace and something that we should all always reflect on with a degree of shame, because they were after all serving this nation at the nation's request.

In the time left for the primary question, I am pleased to announce today that we also, through DVA, have a new online Vietnam War roll of honour image gallery. That features a number of those 521 men from families—(Time expired).