Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator Lambie, move:

That—

(1) The Senate notes that:

(a) on 23 July 2019 the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal decided to recommend to the Minister for Defence Personnel that:

  (i) the decision by the Chief of Navy to refuse to recommend the award of the Victoria Cross for Australia to Ordinary Seaman Edward Sheean in respect of his actions in HMAS Armidale during a Japanese aerial attack in the Timor Sea on 1 December 1942 be set aside, and

  (ii) the Minister recommend to the Sovereign that Ordinary Seaman Edward Sheean be posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia for the most conspicuous gallantry and a pre-eminent act of valour in the presence of the enemy in HMAS Armidale during a Japanese aerial attack in the Timor Sea on 1 December 1942;

(b) the Prime Minister explained in part his rejection of the recommendations to ABC Tasmania on 26 May 2020 by saying "I have taken advice from Australia's military chiefs past and present in making this decision".

(2) There be laid on the table, by no later than noon on Wednesday 17 June 2020, by the Minister representing the Prime Minister, all copies of documents and correspondence, whether written letters or via email, referred to in the advice outlined in (1) (b) above, held by the Prime Minister or his department relating to the decision of the Prime Minister to reject the recommendation of the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal decision in Barnett and the Department of Defence re: Sheean [2019] DHAAT 09 (23 July 2019).

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ordinary Seaman Edward 'Teddy' Sheean was an extraordinary Australian and Australia will remain eternally grateful for his service and sacrifice. The Prime Minister considered advice from a range of people in the community, including Australia's military chiefs past and present. Given there are different views on whether there is compelling new evidence about Teddy Sheean's actions, the Prime Minister has commissioned an expert panel to provide advice as to whether the 2019 review by the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal had any significant new evidence that is compelling enough to support a recommendation to award Teddy Sheean a Victoria Cross.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that motion No. 595 be agreed to.

Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senators Lambie, Bilyk, Polley and Brown, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

  (i) the decision of the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal in Barnett and the Department of Defence re: Sheean [2019] DHAAT 09 (23 July 2019),

  (ii) that the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal is an independent statutory body established under the Defence Act 1903 to consider Defence honours and awards matters, and

  (iii) that on 23 July 2019 the Tribunal decided to recommend to the Minister for Defence Personnel that:

(A) the decision by the Chief of Navy to refuse to recommend the award of the Victoria Cross for Australia to Ordinary Seaman Edward Sheean in respect of his actions in HMAS Armidale during a Japanese aerial attack in the Timor Sea on 1 December 1942 be set aside,

(B) the Minister recommend to the Sovereign that Ordinary Seaman Edward Sheean be posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia for the most conspicuous gallantry and a pre-eminent act of valour in the presence of the enemy in HMAS Armidale during a Japanese aerial attack in the Timor Sea on 1 December 1942; and

(b) calls on the Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Personnel to uphold the recommendation of the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal and immediately recommend to the Sovereign that Ordinary Seaman Edward 'Teddy' Sheean be posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia.

Question agreed to.