Melissa Parke (Fremantle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

The incorporated speech read as follows

On Wednesday, 19 November at the Fremantle Workers’ Club in my electorate, I was honoured to host the presentation of Australian Defence Medals to Oliver Cosgrove, Harry Hickson, George Martin, Malcolm Shalders and Jerry Koltasz. Jerry has sadly passed away, so his medal was received by his wife Jennie. These medals provide an opportunity to pay tribute to regular and reserve force members who have served four years, completed an enlistment period or re-enlisted since the end of World War II. Many tasks and roles performed by ADF personnel remain invisible to the general public, yet they are no less valuable contributions to the security of the nation and the discharge of our responsibilities in the international community.

It was appropriate that the ADF medal presentation took place on 19 November. Members will recall that 19 November was the 67th anniversary of the day 645 Australians perished in the famous and tragic engagement between the HMAS Sydney and the German raider HSK Kormoran. Fremantle was the Sydney’s home port and she was but a day short of her return from escort duties to Sumatra at the time of that final, historic encounter off the coast of Western Australia. Thanks to the tireless efforts of many people, we now know where HMAS Sydney lies with so many crew members who were born or raised in Fremantle, or who had developed deep connections with Fremantle.

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