Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to associate myself with the comments of Senator Bilyk and congratulate her on her speech. Earlier today I joined with Vietnam veterans and their families to participate in a national memorial service for Vietnam Veterans Day. The Leader of the Opposition and I jointly laid a wreath at the Australian Vietnam Forces National Memorial on Anzac Parade in honour of those who served, suffered and died as a result of the Vietnam War. The eighteenth of August each year is reserved as the day when Australians pay tribute to the service and sacrifice of 60,000 fellow Australians who served in the Vietnam War. Particularly we pay our respects to the memory of the 521 Australians who were killed in action during that conflict. Despite the rain and cold wind, the ceremony was well attended by dignitaries, including the Governor-General, the former Governor-General, the Prime Minister and minister, the Leader of the Opposition, who I have already mentioned, the Chief of the Defence Force, representatives of the service chiefs, ex-service leaders and representatives of the local ACT community. I was also honoured to be asked to attend the service in Melbourne at the Shrine of Remembrance, and I hope to do so next year.

Today is also significant because it marks 45 years since the Battle of Long Tan took place in a rubber plantation at Phuoc Tuy province in South Vietnam. On this day 45 years ago, 18 Australians were killed in action and 24 were wounded in action fighting an enemy which outnumbered the Australians 10 to one. The actions of D Company 6RAR will live on in history as one of Australia's greatest military victories. Today was not about glorifying that battle nor was it about glorifying the actions of the brave men of D6, as they are known. Rather it was an opportunity for this nation to reflect upon their service, remember their sacrifice and commemorate their deeds of extreme bravery and gallantry in the face of extra­ordinary danger. Today was all the more significant as it marked the day when the men of D6 were finally awarded their due honour by the Australian Army: a Unit Citation for Gallantry. I pay tribute tonight to the men of D6, their families and those who did not return home. Your service and sacrifice will not be forgotten. On behalf of the coalition—and I am sure I can speak on behalf of all senators—I extend to you our sincere thanks for a job well done. I also want to place on record my thanks and appreciation for the mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, wives, girlfriends, husbands and boyfriends who support our currently serving defence personnel and our veterans.

Last Sunday I was honoured to be the guest speaker at the memorial service held by the Geelong and District Sub-Branch of the Vietnam Veterans Association of Austra­lia. The service was attended by almost 100 local veterans, their families and members of the local Geelong community. The weather in Geelong was superb for this ceremony and the camaraderie was tremendous. I once again thank the GDVVAA for extending me the great honour of being their guest speaker this year.

I seek leave to have incorporated into Hansard a copy of my remarks to the memorial service.

Leave granted.

The document read as follows

Speech to the Geelong and District Vietnam Veterans Association Memorial Service

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Corner Melbourne Road and Swinburne Street, North Geelong

Sunday, 14 August 2011

Thank you very much, Mick. Ladies and gentlemen, a warm welcome, to Ken Baker, to parliamentary colleagues, to the Lieutenant Colonel, to the shire councillors and mayors. Can I just say at the outset thank you for the great honour that you have accorded me today to be asked to address this ceremony. Indeed, I hope to be in the Canberra or Melbourne ceremony next Thursday.

I was going to mention a number of things which Ken mentioned this morning, and I will slightly change my speech.

I look at this fantastic crowd today and I say to you that the ceremonies which will be occurring all over Australia, as they are, these ceremonies will be occurring with the knowledge, with the full knowledge, that the sacrifice that you veterans made must never, ever be forgotten.

I say to you that to the eternal shame of this country, in those 15 years post the Vietnam War where there was no recognition, is a dark stain. It was unforgivable. I will talk about that stain and what we owe the young men and women returning from Afghanistan later on in my speech.

It's probably not well known that close to the same number, the 60,000 men and women who served in Vietnam, have almost now served in Afghanistan. We as a community must never, ever, ever forget the mistakes of the past. I know that you've been asked, on behalf of this nation, to serve before and to sacrifice before. But I ask you again, to ensure that we make sure these young men and women returning from Afghanistan, some of who are on their fifth, sixth, seventh, eight, ninth and tenth rotations, that we look after them and we look after their families.

I want to acknowledge another group of people who are here today, and that's the mothers and the fathers and the wives and the sisters and the brothers and the girlfriends and the boyfriends of those who served in Vietnam. Because sometimes it's all too easy to forget the contribution that they have made to this nation. They were the ones who we asked to pick up the lives of those who returned, many of whom were shattered. And we asked the wives and the girlfriends and the brothers and mothers and sisters to do what this nation should have done. We should only have asked you to be partner on that, not bearing the sole responsibility for that. For that I am deeply, deeply sorry.

When these young men and women return, we must commit to making sure that the past mistakes are not repeated. They may not need the help on day one and day two - they probably will, but I suspect they won't acknowledge that. But when they are ready, then we must stand ready to provide them with the support that they deserve. I ask you, as I said before, to join that task because you, more than anyone else, understand what the commitment is required. You, more than anyone else, know what we need to do to ensure those mistakes are not repeated.

I just want to say today that despite what happened and despite that stain on this nation's history, that we do thank you for your contribution. The nation demanded your attendance—apart from the Regular Army men and women—the nation demanded your attendance in Vietnam, and you went. And you served. We saw the extraordinary bravery which is epitomised at Long Tan. It was epitomised all over Vietnam. We look at the service of those in 6 RAR and say: why did it take so long for them to be recognised?. And we ask the question: on Thursday, despite the request of Harry Smith and the veteran community and people all over Australia, why, why, why is that Unit Citation for Gallantry not being given by the Governor-General in Canberra?

It should be in Canberra. Harry Smith, who I spoke to a couple of weeks ago, has been fighting the fight for that citation to be awarded by the Governor-General in Canberra where it should have been. It's not good enough, in my view, for those in Canberra to say that cost will determine where that award is made. This is far too important to be driven by cost and Harry Smith and those who wanted to attend from 6 RAR should have been flown to Canberra at the community's and the nation's expense, rather than it happening at Enoggera in Brisbane. That's all I will say about that, but I am pleased that the Governor-General will be awarding Harry and the rest of his colleagues at least at Enoggera next Thursday.

Can I just leave now with the following? I look at those in front and I look at those who are serving this community, as members, as councillors and as mayors in local government, and I know those who are here today, including my parliamentary colleagues, will not forget your service to this country. We are extraordinarily grateful for what you have given us.

It's because of you, and those who came before you, that we are the free and stable country that we are today. We will not forget your contri­butions and I thank you for allowing me the great honour to join you today. Ken, thank you most sincerely.

Senate adjourned at 18 : 23