Russell Broadbent (McMillan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

What marvellous recognition it would have been if my Vietnam veterans could have been here in this parliament in the last hour or so and heard the heartfelt addresses from the members for Macarthur, Fowler and Eden-Monaro. I could not even contemplate entering into the feelings that they have for their communities, especially the Vietnam vets community, but I am sure that if my Vietnam vets were here they would know that there are members in this place who remember what they did, determinedly work for their betterment through this parliament and their communities and do it with a passion and an understanding that they probably do not believe exists in this House. I want to commend them for that in the first instance and say, 'I recognise you.' As the member for Macarthur pointed out, when you have direct family pain such as he has been prepared to volunteer to the records of this parliament and you come into this place, it is great recognition not just for your father but for all the Vietnam vets who have felt alienated from the communities that they left to go to Vietnam and then returned to in difficult circumstances.

I had the great pleasure of being the debutant partner for Margaret Kennedy. Margaret Kennedy was the draper's daughter in Pakenham and I was from the neighbouring town of Koo-wee-rup. Those towns were sporting mortal enemies, but I had the great pleasure of being invited to escort this girl to make her debut. Her brother was Robert Kennedy. We called him 'Noddy'—Noddy was taller than most boys—and I was with him yesterday. But Noddy is not Noddy anymore; he is now 'Buzz'. We were different people in the 1960s. It was a wonderful time for all of us, but those who went off to Vietnam had a different experience. It was a distant war for us. We went on. I was not balloted. We got on with our lives. Buzz went through the Vietnam War and I met him yesterday as a member of the Vietnam Veterans Motorcycle Club's Gippsland chapter. Having grown up with my wife, Bronwyn, he was thrilled to see her there with all the other Vietnam vets. We remember that even in this House we had Tim Fischer and Rod Atkinson, who were returned soldiers. I do not know whether there were any others; someone might fill me in, I will get back to the office and someone will say there was someone else. There was Ron Edwards, the Western Australia member for Swan; I think it was Swan. I think that is correct.

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