Graham Edwards (Cowan, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary (Defence and Veterans' Affairs)) Share this | Hansard source

I am pleased to be associated with the remarks of the Prime Minister, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Kim Beazley in this condolence motion for Sir Reginald Swartz. As we have heard, Sir Reginald was elected to this place in 1949 and this followed his service to the nation during World War II. He first joined the CMF at the age of 17 in 1928. He later enlisted in the AIF at the rank of captain and served with the 2/26 Infantry Battalion, 8th Division during the Malaysian campaign. Sir Reginald was captured by the Japanese and held in Changi. He was also forced to work on the infamous Burma-Thailand railway until the end of the war. He was repatriated to Australia in 1945. As the Prime Minister has indicated, Sir Reginald continued his association with the CMF until 1969, when he was appointed honorary colonel of the Australian Army Aviation Corp. His direct experience in World War II resulted in him being given the portfolio responsibility of repatriation, in which he served for three years. Sir Reginald also visited the troops in Vietnam in 1970—the year I was there. In his first speech to the parliament in 1950, he said in relation to the Japanese:

… I wish to leave a thought in the minds of honorable members in relation to our future co-operation with Japan. It has been suggested that the time has arrived when Japan should again take its place in international councils. Having lived with the Japanese for some years under rather curious conditions, and knowing their characteristics fairly well, I offer some advice to the Minister for External Affairs (Mr Spender). I suggest to the honorable gentleman that we should use the Japanese internationally, but that we should never trust them.

As Minister for National Development, Sir Reginald visited Japan in 1970, and that must have been a very personal and emotional experience for him. His attitude to Australia’s dealings with Japan immediately after the war took much courage, and he certainly showed great leadership. At that time many former POWs and other Australians took a totally different attitude towards trade and involvement with that country.

I understand that Sir Reginald Swartz was held in high esteem by both sides of the parliament. This would have been a direct reflection of the strong mateship that must have existed in the parliament at that time among those who served the nation during the war and ended up on either side of politics. I also understand that he was held in high esteem by the veterans of Australia and his comrades in arms, whom he served as Minister for Repatriation. On behalf of the ALP, I join with Kim Beazley in extending our sympathy to his wife, Lady Muriel Swartz, and his children Barbara, Graham and Rodney.

Question agreed to, honourable members standing in their places.

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