Kim Wilkie (Swan, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I welcome the opportunity to add my thoughts and comments to the member for Kennedy’s motion relating to the Australian Defence Medal. As we approach the 91st anniversary of the landings at Anzac Cove on 25 April, it is timely that we take this opportunity to remember with pride and honour those men and women who have served in our armed forces throughout our history. I know that many citizens in my electorate of Swan served in the Second World War, the Korean War and the Vietnam War and in the Gulf War since then. Many have also been involved in Australia’s peacekeeping forces in many parts of the world, including Rwanda, East Timor and the Middle East.

Today it is particularly important that we echo the comments made in this place today by the British Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Tony Blair, our own Prime Minister and our Leader of the Opposition that, no matter what our views of the present conflict in Iraq, our total and unequivocal support be given to our troops and those of the US, the UK and other coalition forces serving in Iraq.

I was privileged to join other members and senators last October in visiting our service men and women in Iraq. I can assure the House that they are meeting the difficult challenges of their service with effectiveness and vigour and that we can be proud of each and every one of them. Indeed, I have been lucky enough to participate in the Australian Defence Force Parliamentary Program and I am a member of the Defence Sub-Committee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade. In these capacities I have taken as many opportunities as possible to meet with members of our defence forces on-site at their facilities and to participate in some of their training exercises. If ever I were in a vulnerable or precarious situation, these are the people I would want to have standing next to me.

Towards the end of next month, I will look forward to the active commemorations for Anzac Day held by the Returned Servicemen’s Leagues across Australia and in my electorate to commemorate the service and sacrifice of our service men and women. I note the efforts of the member for Cowan on behalf of all Australian veterans to promote their interests and to protect the record of their selfless service to us all.

The federal Labor Party has long supported the striking of an Australian Defence Medal to recognise those Australians who have served as members of the regular or reserve forces since World War II. There is a clear acknowledgment on both sides of this chamber of the debt we owe to the men and women who served—and continue to serve—to protect our nation’s freedom and values. While we are all keen to ensure a degree of bipartisanship when dealing with matters relating to our service men and women, the point needs to be made that the government’s delay in formally announcing the qualifications for the Australian Defence Medal is unacceptable. It is, to my mind, coming perilously close to turning the entire exercise into one of those cynical ‘it seemed like a good idea at the time’ election ploys.

The concept of the medal was announced almost two years ago by the then Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence. At the time, Minister Brough announced the medal would, quite rightly, recognise individuals who have made a contribution to our national interest either in operations or on the home front in a support role. He correctly acknowledged that the rise in terrorism had ‘redefined the notions of a frontline or even an easily definable area of operations’ and that many tasks undertaken by Defence personnel ‘remained invisible to the community at large’. The Australian Defence Medal, he said, would also recognise these circumstances of service. How unfortunate it is that Anzac Day 2005 went by, and now Anzac Day 2006 will slip by, without thousands of ex-service men and women, and current Defence Force personnel, being given the opportunity to wear their medals when they march with their comrades.

Now I turn to the issue of qualifying periods. The government’s stipulation that there should be a six-year service requirement before eligibility for the Australian Defence Medal is unacceptable. Those who served as national conscripts are rightly recognised for the National Service Medal after two years service. It is clear that the service requirement for the Australian Defence Medal should not be six years but rather, in general, less, as explained by the member for Cowan. There are those, for example, who voluntarily enlisted for two years service after the Second World War and who should be eligible for the Australian Defence Force Medal after two years, given that was the time of their service. In my view, two years as a general qualifying period seems to be fair, equitable and sensible.

It is always difficult to set qualifying periods for such recognition. On this issue I know that the member for Cowan, the member for Bruce and the member for Barton are currently reviewing the Australian Labor Party’s specific position to ensure that the qualifying period set is the most appropriate and fair. This review process sensibly involves further discussions with the RSL and other Defence Force personnel representative bodies. I applaud the initiative of the member for Kennedy in proposing this motion and urge the federal government to stop sitting on its hands and to move as a matter of urgency to address this important matter for Defence Force personnel and their families. Members opposite say they support this motion. Actions speak louder than words. I urge them to get off their backsides and urge the minister to do something about this matter urgently. (Time expired)

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