Peter Slipper (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Last week on 18 August marked the 45th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan in 1966 during the Vietnam War. This battle is iconic in Australian military history in that it demonstrated the heart and skill of Australian soldiers who did not give up, who stood determined against an opponent that was 20 times larger in number and much better equipped, and who was able to record an inspirational victory in shocking conditions. Sadly, as has been recounted by others, it was with the loss of 18 heroic lives, with 24 wounded.

It is a battle that is often referred to to showcase the skills of Australian soldiers, but it should also be an inspiration to anyone who faces a difficult task against seemingly impossible odds. The anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan on 18 August has become the day that Australians pause to remember the Vietnam War and all its battles and all who served, and the 528 Australians killed during the conflict. The Battle of Long Tan has become entrenched in the Australian psyche as a touchstone for inspiration, motivation and determination. If there was anyone who had a right to fail it was these soldiers, but they did not give up and as a result they were able to record an amazing victory, one that we commemorate and discuss today 45 years later here in the Australian parliament and many thousands of miles removed from that horrible battlefield.

The figures for this battle are outstanding: 108 Australians fought against an estimated 2,500 Vietcong soldiers in a rubber plantation in a driving monsoonal downpour and without radio communications. But through their resilience and courage the soldiers of D Company 6RAR were able to record victory. More than 245 enemy soldiers were killed in the conflict.

I do pay tribute today to not just the soldiers who fought in Vietnam but soldiers who fought in all spheres of conflict during our nation's existence. They have risked everything and in some cases lost all to make sure that, as Australians, we are able to enjoy the freedom, stability and way of life that we have as a nation, which indeed makes us truly the envy of people throughout the world.

On the Sunshine Coast, including in my electorate of Fisher, we have a great number of veterans from various conflicts, including Vietnam. I pay tribute to them all for their efforts in what is the most challenging of vocations, the defence of our country for their families, their relatives, friends and neighbours—and also the defence and protection of complete strangers—in the theatre of war.

Before I conclude I just want to say how pleased I am that collectively as a nation we have moved on in the treatment of our war veterans. I think that it is appalling that people who opposed the Vietnam War found it necessary to take out that opposition on people who in some cases were conscripted and who were sent abroad to serve their nation and to serve the policy of the government of the day. Happily, we have moved on. No-one in our Australian community has sought to ill-treat, or mistreat or blame those brave soldiers who served in Iraq—and that was a war that some segments of the Australian community did not support. Those men and women fought in Iraq for the policy of the government of the day. Collectively as a nation we can take great pride in the fact that we have moved on. We have to recognise that people in our military do whatever the government of the day tells them to do. If there is a deployment to a certain country, whether or not individuals might support that deployment or support the objects of that deployment, as loyal military personnel they go and carry out their duty. I think that it was appalling that Vietnam veterans were treated with contempt—in some cases even spat on—by people who took out their opposition to the war on these veterans who had served the country.

As I said, that is now not the case and I think that, collectively as Australians, whatever our view is on any sphere of conflict, we have now come to a national community consensus that anyone who serves in our military is worthy of respect and that anyone who carries out his or her duty is worthy of admiration. So many of these people have risked everything and lost all. I am very happy to support the motion now before the House but I just wanted to emphasise how pleased I am and how proud I am that collectively we have moved on to a situation where now we respect everyone who has served our nation with great distinction.

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