Ken O'Dowd (Flynn, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to speak today in support of the motion moved by the member for Parkes, which states:

That this House:

(1) acknowledges the sacrifices made by those who have served Australia in past and present wars and conflicts and the importance of Remembrance Day in honouring those who have fallen; and

(2) notes that many Indigenous servicemen and women have also made valuable contributions to the Australian Defence Force, and that:

(a) in the past these contributions have not been fully acknowledged and recognised;

(b) historically many people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background experienced difficulties in enlisting due to their race;

(c) the full extent of the contribution of Indigenous peoples to past wars and conflicts is a subject that is still being researched today—

There are very few records and of the records that we do have some of them could be a bit flimsy. The motion continues:

(d) more information will only add to the valuable wealth of knowledge that informs Australia's commemoration ceremonies and enriches the historic record;

(e) it is estimated that at least 400 Aboriginals or Torres Strait Islanders served in the First World War …

Prior to them enlisting, they had very few rights. They had no land ownership, they had no voting rights and they of course were not allowed alcohol. They had low wages, if they had any wages at all, and their living conditions were very poor. A lot of them worked on cattle properties. A lot of them had no jobs whatsoever. However, thankfully, once they were in the AIF they were generally befriended and treated equally and paid the same as Australians. It was pleasing that once they were in the Army they were generally accepted well by the other Australian troops. In 1914, many Aboriginals were rejected on race grounds but by 1917 the recruits were drying up from the ordinary Australian population and more Indigenous people were then enlisted. However, there was a military law that stated that to be enlisted they must have one parent of European origin.

Why did the Aborigines enlist in the first place? They were loyal to their country, they had patriotism, they wanted to prove themselves and they wanted to push for better treatment and recognition after World War I. They were paid six shillings a day, the same as the other troops, and that was classed as good money. But, after the war had finished, they were offered very little support—there were no soldier settlement blocks offered to the Aborigines.

It is estimated that there were 3,000 to 6,000 Aboriginal servicemen in the Second World War, but the limited historical records indicate that these figures could have been much higher than this. Initially, Indigenous recruits were not considered and were deemed necessary or not desirable. However, when the Japanese entered World War II, enlistment by Torres Strait Islanders and Aborigines rose dramatically. They became front-line soldiers. Many were killed on the frontline, and many died in POW camps. Those that survived were full of pride and confidence. By 1949, there were no race restrictions on recruits. This was a great achievement for our nation. Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders have served in all major conflicts since those days—in the Air Force, in the Navy and in the Army. They also performed other duties during World War II. The RAAF depended heavily on Aboriginal labour in Northern Australia during the Second World War. Aborigines helped out in camps, they helped out in butchers shops and they helped out by providing services to the men who were out there fighting—and they themselves fought too.

Today the NORFORCE regiment still operates in Northern Australia. Only last week I had the pleasure of meeting some of those reserve army guys up there who are doing a great job protecting our northern borders. They are great Australians and great troops. Lest we forget. (Time expired)

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