Graham Edwards (Cowan, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary (Defence and Veterans' Affairs)) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

More than 600 Australians were killed on the Kokoda Track and hundreds wounded. A recent article in the Australian of 24 February said:

Defence Minister Brendan Nelson has been accused of “an outrageous hijack” of Australia’s military heritage after likening the Iraq War to the Kokoda campaign of World War II.

In the article Bren gunner Kelly, an 82-year-old veteran of bloody battles of the track, said that his mates fought and died in droves in PNG. He also said in the article:

“It’s fantasy, it’s absurd.”

…         …         …

“One is speechless because I can’t see any similarities at all. As an old soldier I take exception to it.

The article went on to say:

... head of the nonprofit Kokoda Track Foundation Patrick Lindsay said he had been bombarded with complaints from angry Diggers.

…         …         …

Mr Lindsay said it was hypocritical of Dr Nelson to invoke the name of Kokoda in comparison with Iraq ...

In view of the distress caused to many Kokoda veterans who served, fought, suffered and were wounded and to the families of those who died, I table the following notice of motion:

That the House calls on the Minister for Defence to recognise the offence and hurt caused by his remarks likening the Iraq War to the Kokoda campaign and urges him to unreservedly apologise to all veterans of the Kokoda Track and their families.