Alan Griffin (Bruce, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak briefly with respect to this motion regarding the location of the remains of the last two members of the Australian Defence Force missing from the Vietnam conflict, Flying Officer Michael Herbert and Pilot Officer Robert Carver, and to express my condolences to their families at their loss. I also express our collective thanks that at this time the mystery that surrounded their deaths has at least partly been resolved and that their remains are able to be repatriated back to Australia to proper and just heroes burials where their families can pay their last respects in an appropriate manner.

Others have spoken regarding the detail of what took place so long ago, so I will not go into great detail, other than to mention that on 3 November 1970 they were believed killed when their Canberra bomber disappeared while flying a night bombing mission in the northern 1 Corps region of South Vietnam. An extensive aerial search of the area failed to find any trace of the aircraft or crew and was called off after three days. It was a particularly inhospitable part of the country and the circumstances around the question of where they may have crashed have been a matter of conjecture for many years.

What we have seen on this occasion, though, is the location and repatriation, so many years after the event, of the last remains of six men who had been MIA in Vietnam and were left behind. In this context, I would particularly like to acknowledge Jim Bourke, Peter Aylett and others from Operation Aussies Home for the work they did. It is true to say—and it is understandable, I guess, in the circumstances—that many within the Defence Force and through official channels had taken the view that so many years after the event, given the circumstances around those particular disappearances, it was going to be too difficult to mount missions to establish the identities and recover the remains of these soldiers and airmen. However, Jim Bourke and those veterans who involved themselves in Operation Aussies Home took the view that in fact it could be done. Working together they were able to effectively lead the charge with respect to official sources in order to ensure that it was recognised that it should be done, and they were given invaluable assistance in ensuring it was done. In saying this, I acknowledge the previous government with respect to assistance given by then Minister Billson in the early stages of this plan, and I know that that was appreciated at the time by people like Jim Bourke.

From talking to Jim, I know they very much approached this in a military manner. They took the view that the circumstances around Private Gillson and Lance Corporal Parker’s deaths meant they were probably the casualties whose location would be most easily established and therefore there was greater capacity for their recovery. So they targeted them and focused on that and were successful. Subsequently, Lance Corporal Gillespie, who came down in a helicopter crash, was located. I had the privilege, on behalf of the government, of accompanying his relatives to Vietnam in December 2007 for the repatriation of his remains. Subsequently Private Fisher was located and then of course were the two gentlemen we are speaking of today.

I think it is important also to acknowledge the ADF, particularly the Army History Unit and the work that they did with respect to a number of these casualties, and, in the most recent situation, the role of Air Force in mounting the mission to bring these boys home. I know that Peter Aylett was part of the most recent mission. He has described to me some of the details around the ruggedness of the location. It was particularly inhospitable country. He told me some stories about the sorts of conditions that they found there which meant that it really was quite an effort to be able to get to the location, identify the remains and bring them back. But that work was done, and it is a credit to those who were involved that it was done.

It brings to an end a chapter of the Vietnam War that has been open and unfinished for many, many years. We now look back at a conflict that was our longest war, some 10 years long, where some 60,000 Australians served across the forces—Army, Navy and Air Force—521 paid the ultimate sacrifice, some 2,400 were wounded in battle and many more returned with scars, both physical and mental.

Others have spoken about the issues around the proper recognition of those who fought in Vietnam and the nature of the public debate that occurred at that time and in the years subsequent. What we can and should say is that those who served their country at that time did it in the very best Anzac tradition. They served where they were required to serve at the orders of the government of the day, and they served their country with great dignity, great pride and great honour.

The families of those six who were left behind, from those that I have met and those that I have heard of, have had many years to ponder, worry and grieve, but always in a situation where there was a certain open question—open wound, if you like—that was still to be resolved. I know from talking to some of them that, in their cases, they feel that that is now something that can be better dealt with. It is not a situation I have ever had to deal with. It is not a situation that I would wish anyone to have to deal with, but I hope that in the circumstances, for the families of Herbert and Carver, we have a similar situation as I think occurred with a number of the relatives of the earlier MIAs, and that is an opportunity for some closure. I certainly believe that, with that, all those involved in ensuring that the last of our boys were brought home can look back and say this was something that was long overdue but which needed to be done.

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