Craig Kelly (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is a pleasure to follow the member for Eden-Monaro and the member for Hinkler. I concur with their words. Last Saturday I was honoured to attend the Sydney chapter of the Vietnam Veterans Motorcycle Club for their Long Tan Day ceremony at their Menai clubhouse. Everyone in attendance was privileged to hear a most moving prayer delivered by Pastor John M 'Gunner' Wickline of the Faith Baptist Church of Dundas Valley. Pastor Wickline was given the name 'Gunner' as during the Vietnam War he served with the American forces as a machine-gunner on a helicopter.

Although I could never match the eloquence of Gunner's delivery, I would like to take this opportunity to read his prayer into Hansard so that others may have the opportunity to read his magnificent words:

Lord God, our Maker and our Saviour, we ask today your presence, your blessing, and Your divine enablement, as we gather here, to remember the occasion of the Battle of Long Tan.

More than four decades have now passed since then.

And, though the victory that was won there, against overwhelming odds, received scant notice here and elsewhere, for those of us who served in Vietnam, it was a defining moment, an occasion that showed irrefutably the courage, and resolve of the Australian Defence Forces to fight to preserve freedom and the values of our nation.

We remember today especially those 18 who paid the ultimate price there on that day, and, indeed all the 501 of our brothers who gave their lives in Australia's service during the war in Vietnam.

And, Lord, we pray for those brave young men and women who are at this very moment serving in our Army, Navy and Air Force.

Lord, we ask that you will grant them safety, that you will preserve their lives, and give them victory as they fight against forces that would attack our way of life and indeed the freedom of all men.

And we ask too that, when they return home, they might receive the gratitude and respect of the nation for whom they have sacrificed so much.

We pray also for Australia, and all its people who have been brought to this Southern Land.

We are thankful for the bounty that you have given to us, and for the liberties that we enjoy.

Help us to live as to honour you, and to be ever vigilant to preserve the marvellous gifts that you have entrusted to us.

We ask that the bitterness of war, though never forgotten, will be eclipsed by the grace that you have showered upon us and our nation.

We ask these things, and we offer our thanks in Jesus' name. Amen!

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