Anthony Byrne (Holt, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

It is fantastic to be here in this chamber today contributing to the members’ constituency statements. I would like to commend the Chief Government Whip and also the Leader of the House for this initiative. It enables me to talk about really special people in my electorate. There is one in particular—a pretty big, scary guy, actually, when you meet him—called Denny Van Maanenberg. What makes Denny special is the contribution that he makes to my community and to the community of veterans throughout my electorate.

Denny is a Vietnam veteran himself, and he has provided outstanding service to the veterans community over a number of years. He helped establish the Aussie Veterans Opportunity Shop in Boronia. He eventually became the veterans association’s treasurer and administration manager—the association also provided welfare and pension facilities. He has also served as pension officer at the Berwick RSL. Two years ago he became the chairman of the Casey regional veterans welfare centre. In addition to assisting veterans, Denny does numerous presentations to local schools on World War II, the Kokoda Trail and the Vietnam War. He has joined in local schools’ Anzac Day and Remembrance Day presentations. One highlight was a presentation to 1,000 students, teachers and guests at the Eumemmerring College Anzac Day commemoration service this year, where he rode in on a Harley-Davidson, much to the amusement and enjoyment of the students there.

He is the public officer of the Vietnam Veterans Motorcycle Club Gippsland Chapter. They run a veterans drop-in centre at Longwarry North, in an old hall they saved from demolition after they convinced the Baw Baw Shire Council to grant a planning permit to renovate it. Nearly two years on, the old hall has taken on a new life and is a centre for veterans to drop in each Friday for a chat, a cuppa, to do some photocopying or use the computers. This is all free of charge. He has conducted birthday parties for Vietnam veterans and he has helped 18- to 80-year-olds celebrate their birthdays. Every year has had a special Christmas party for local kids in need. He has also helped out where he can with members’ veterans welfare issues. Denny volunteers at Casey on Wednesdays, does Fridays at Longwarry North and, on the odd occasion, helps out at the Drouin Welfare Centre. Recently he was appointed a justice of the peace, which makes life a little easier for those wishing to get documents certified, particularly veterans. About a year or so ago he helped start off the RAASC Vietnam Supply Platoons Association, and this provides an annual get-together for supply platoon blokes from across Australia.

There is a heck of a lot more I could read out about Denny and his contributions, particularly where he tries to help people find out about their relative’s past, but Denny’s great contribution is that he is a very passionate and a very proud Australian who wants to communicate his experiences to young people. What we need to remember is that we must learn from history. Having a bit of living history and presenting it to students in the area is great. Denny is a proud and passionate Australian and a tremendous asset to the electorate of Holt. (Time expired)

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