David Fawcett (Wakefield, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise tonight to draw the attention of the House to an excellent organisation which benefits youth right around Australia. On Friday just past, I had the privilege of going to Clare in the north of the Wakefield electorate to attend the annual awards night for the 411 Army Cadet Unit. The cadets involved had a parade, followed by the presentation of awards. Afterwards I had a chance to talk with a number of them over supper about their experiences during their recent bivouac and what they got out of it.

From a broader organisational perspective, cadets are a good thing. Defence have done a couple of studies, and they have confirmed that service cadets make a significant contribution to the Australian Defence Force, particularly with regard to recruitment and retention. The findings reveal that there are some 25,000 young Australians in 500 or so cadet units around the country. This represents about one per cent of their age group, but they are 10 times more likely to join the Defence Force than noncadets. In addition, ex-cadets make up some 25 per cent of the serving permanent and reserve workforce. The results are even more impressive when you consider they make up a large percentage of the senior ranks in the ADF, with over 25 per cent of brigadiers and above being ex-cadets. So it is a good career path.

But the message that I think is most important to get out to the parents and the schools of Australia is that the cadet force gives our young people a sense of purpose. It breeds in them responsibility, it inculcates in them respect for self and others, it develops their leadership ability and it develops in them a commitment to voluntary service—all of which adds to the value they bring to Australian society.

But this does not just happen by itself. I would like to mention and commend the parent committee of 411 Army Cadet Unit, particularly Susan Taylor, the president of that committee, who has worked tirelessly, as a number of her children have been involved in the cadet unit there, and Joan Smith, who is the secretary to the parent committee. Lieutenant Samantha Stephens and Lieutenant Trevor Edmonds give freely of their time to provide leadership to these young people to help them develop their characters through their involvement with the cadets.

I am fortunate to have a number of cadet units in Wakefield. There is not only 411 Army Cadet Unit in Clare but also 49 Army Cadet Unit at Smithfield, with Lieutenant Nick Gerrie. I have visited and spoken to the cadets and encouraged them, based on my own career, to think about the career options they have within the Defence Force. There are also cadets in the various flying training flights and squadrons, such as 608 Squadron at Willaston, 618 Squadron at Andrews Farm, 613 Squadron at Edinburgh, the Navy cadets with Training Ship Stuart, as well as Air Youth of South Australia and the people involved with that.

Significantly, though, the cadets also provide an opportunity for our elders—the people who have gone before us—to act as mentors and to encourage these young people. I particularly want to recognise, in the case of Clare, people like Bill Kearney from the RSL for the role that he plays in being involved with and encouraging the cadets. Similarly, at Gawler, Wayne Clarke, who is the President of the RSL there, encourages the air cadets who so often get involved with things like Anzac Day and Remembrance Day and providing the catafalque party. I also recognise the National Servicemen’s Association and their president, Harry Taylor, for the encouragement that they provide to a number of cadet units in the area not only through mentoring and being alongside them but also through fundraising so that these cadets have the finances they need.

I am pleased to see a renewed emphasis from the Defence Force in providing material support to these young people. Any organisation that can help develop a sense of purpose, responsibility, respect for self and others, leadership ability and the commitment to voluntary service is something that I believe deserves all of our support.