Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Stirling for his question. I begin by recognising all members in this chamber on both sides of the House who've served in uniform. For the men and women at home today who are veterans or current serving members of the Australian Defence Force, can I say to you all quite simply: thank you for your service, and thank you to your families for assisting you in that service. Throughout our nation's history, two million Australians have put on the uniform of the Navy or the Army or the Airforce and been prepared to place themselves in harm's way to help those who can't necessarily help themselves, And, sadly, 102,000 have lost their lives, whether it's been in wars, in other forms of conflict or on peacekeeping missions. All of them were loved. All of them were missed dearly.

Remembrance Day was called Armistice Day at the outset, on 11 November 1918, when the guns fell silent on the Western Front. We changed the name to Remembrance Day after World War II to ensure that all serving members, all veterans and all of the fallen could be remembered. It is a date for us all to pause and to reflect, and for us to give thanks to all service men and women: to thank them for their courage, for their service and for their sacrifice. They earned the freedoms that we all enjoy here today. I think we as members of parliament commit ourselves, on this day of all days, to secure a lasting peace in their honour. Like our men and women in uniform, we must never give up in that pursuit.

This year has challenged Australians like none in my lifetime, and probably none in many of the members' lifetimes, with the drought, the floods, the bushfires and the coronavirus. Australians have never given up, but their resilience has been tested, and that test has been passed with the assistance of our Australian Defence Force members. Today at the National Ceremony at the Australian War Memorial, we were honoured to hear from Daniel Keighran VC, and he spoke about resilience. In his speech, Dan said: 'The events of 2020 have challenged us all. Like war, they have sharpened our focus onto what is important—family, friends and loved ones. Australia truly is the lucky country, and, even in the most challenging of times, there is nowhere else I'd want to be. We are a nation built on the foundation of mateship, rolling up our sleeves, helping our neighbours and doing it with a smile the best we can.' And Dan continued: 'In the darkest days, there is always a glimmer of light found in the mateship, comradeship and loyalty that is, at its very core, the essence of what it means to be Australian.' I want to thank Dan for those great words from a truly great Australian.

Remembrance Day is about hope. Remembrance Day is about respect. Remembrance Day is about a grateful nation keeping our commitment to our serving men and women. We will remember them.

Lest we forget.

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