Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In the lead-up to Anzac Day, I recently made to a constituent one of the most unusual presentations yet. Former army medic and padre Reverend Barrie Harvey received a camouflaged bible to carry out his work as a mentor to returned service men and women. The 75-year-old is the padre to the National Servicemen's Association in Rockhampton, padre to the Capricornia RSL sub-branch and chaplain to Frenchville Sports Club. Reverend Harvey says the unusual camouflage cover would become an important symbol for the ex-service personnel he serves.

In the mid-1960s Reverend Harvey served as a medic in the Royal Australian Army Medical Corp. He trained as a medical team member for first casualty clearance stations—the first medic point through which wounded soldiers pass on the battlefield. He was ordained as an Anglican priest in 2002 and served as an unpaid clergyman.

In the lead-up to Anzac Day the reverend had this message: 'Anzac Day is a time for people to focus not just on the events of the date April 25 1915 but on all those who died, fought or were affected or disabled by any war. It is a reminder that we should strive for peace. Peace is better than war.'