Matt Keogh (Burt, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for New England, in particular for recognising that next week we will be commemorating the 50th anniversary of the end of Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War, on Vietnam Veterans Day, which was traditionally referred to as Long Tan Day, a very important day for Vietnam War veterans across the country. As we saw last week, with the vigils that were held at the many places of memorial around the country, recognising the service and sacrifice of our Vietnam War veterans, veterans again will turn out here in Canberra and in many local services around Australia to commemorate the fallen, the wounded and those that have suffered both physically and mentally as a consequence of their service for our nation. Despite what may have been political controversy at that time, now, as a country, we come together to commemorate that service for all of those people who wore our uniform, to recognise the sacrifice that they made and to recognise the sacrifice of their families as well in supporting them not only when they went away but when they came back.

The report that the member has referred to from the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal is a very lengthy and detailed report. It gives rise to a number of recommendations, but it gives rise to a number of questions as well. So it is going to take some time to work through how that report is to be dealt with by government and how the consequences that may come from some of those recommendations are to be properly put and understood in terms of the breadth of application that they may take. Regardless of how we work through that process, as there are a number of reports coming from that tribunal that we have already taken action on since we came into government, just over the first 12 months, we will consider that report as well.

The critical thing the report raises, regardless of how those recommendations may be dealt with in the fullness of time by this government, is the core point—which goes back to what the member was raising and which all members of this House and all members of this parliament agree—when people sign up to join our Defence Force, they do that with a common purpose: to defend our nation; to serve our nation. Some of those people may not come back to their families, whether that's in time of war or in time of peace. Some people may come back to their families wounded, whether that's physical or mental. Certainly, as we have seen with the royal commission that is ongoing right now, there are some who end up taking their own lives as a consequence of their service. That is something that we are working to—and I'm sure all members of this parliament are committed to—ensure we address that national tragedy as well.

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