Craig Emerson (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Finance Minister on Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Saturday, 8 November 2008, 150 members, family and friends of the Greenbank RSL sub-branch attended the President’s Dining-In Evening. Special guests were Mr Chris McHugh, Queensland sub-branch chief executive; Mr John Strachan OAM, President of the South Eastern District RSL; Mr Keith Woods, President of the Greenbank RSL Sub-branch; Mr Tom McGee OAM, Vice-President of the Greenbank RSL; and the Hon. John Mickel, the member for Logan and a very good friend, and his wife, Katie Mickel, who does fantastic work at Boys Town in Kingston, within Logan City. I have known both Keith Woods and Tom McGee for a very long time and they are very fine men.

The Greenbank RSL is the third biggest sub-branch in Queensland, with more than 1,400 members from all branches of the armed forces. It continues to support the local community generously. Some of its support this year has included $35,000 for the Breast Cancer Association of Queensland, $25,000 for the RSPCA, $36,000 for Broncos junior development and $28,125 for the Logan Hospital children’s ward. Other contributions of $1,500 or more have been made to the Logan City PCYC, the Diamantina DVD project, the Logan District Crime Squad, CanTeen, ACCES Services and Lead On Logan.

At the dinner, Mr McHugh explained how there has been an increase in young people becoming involved in RSLs, with the Girl in a Million contest attracting wide support from the community, as it would. I commend all the contestants in the Girl in a Million contest because they do a lot of marvellous charitable fundraising.

We all notice that the crowds at Anzac Day services and Remembrance Day services are getting bigger every year. As time marches on, there is even more enthusiasm, more sense of the debt that we owe to those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. The RSL is focusing its support on the welfare of its members, as it should. I commend the wonderful work of the Greenbank RSL sub-branch and quote the league’s ode:

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

Lest we forget.