Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just in the spirit of the football contribution of the member for Gellibrand, can I add for this weekend's fixture on Sunday: go the Richmond Tigers.

As our nation embarks on commemorative events to mark the centenary of our brave Anzacs, I reflect upon those whose contributions, to this day, continue to stand as a beacon to all. One such individual in my own community was Mr Les Kennedy OAM. Les sadly passed away on 7 July aged 89. Having lived a full life and achieving more than many would in two lifetimes, Les is remembered as a man whose dedication extended well beyond expectation.

Born in Ararat in 1925, Les joined the Royal Australian Navy in October 1942 as a 17-year-old. While Les himself was spared captivity in the prisoner of war camps, he did serve on the HMAS Manoora. At the end of World War II the HMAS Manoora and her crew were sent to Japan and to Singapore to bring home our broken boys. As a young man, Les saw the horrors of war etched on the faces of many.

Discharged before his 21st birthday in 1946, he returned home, like so many, forever a changed man. Les returned to the district, married his beautiful wife Flora and then settled to raise their daughter Josephine. Always community minded, Les set about making a difference in the Ballarat community, firstly by running for local council and becoming mayor in 1966.

After seven years as a councillor Les moved on to other pursuits but his brothers in arms were never far from his thoughts. As a result, Les took up the mantle and worked tirelessly towards the establishment of a unique monument—a monument which stands today as a testament to the steadfast determination in ensuring not one single prisoner of war was ever forgotten.

In 2004, the dream finally became a reality with the unveiling of the Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial in Ballarat's Botanical Gardens. This impressive memorial hosts more than 35,000 Australian ex-service men and women's names who had been prisoners of war in conflicts dating back as far as the Boer War. Under Les's stewardship, the Ballarat memorial committee tirelessly campaigned for the development of this memorial. It has been a very important part of the POW story.

The list of memberships and achievements attributed to Les is a long one. As a tireless advocate for our veterans, he also achieved so much. In 2005, Les was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for his services to the Ballarat community.

The ultimate passage of legislation in 2008 recognising the Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial in Ballarat as a national memorial was news Les Kennedy and the veteran community had long waited to hear. It is now recognised as the first national memorial outside of Canberra. It is a fitting tribute to our military heroes.

I very much want to say vale to you Les Kennedy. You will long be remembered in our community and beyond as a loving family man, a community leader and a driving force behind the Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial. Lest we forget.