Russell Broadbent (McMillan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last Sunday, 28 August, we gathered with Mr Gary Elliott, President of the Pakenham RSL, for the unveiling of the cenotaph rock memorial at the Pakenham cenotaph. Mr Elliott, a Vietnam veteran himself, outlined the inspiration behind the concept of the commemorative walk to name and honour those who served from our district in Malaya, Indonesia, Korea and Vietnam. In the absence of Mr Don Buntine, who served in the Far East Strategic Reserve in Malaya, Mr Ron Ingram, Vietnam veteran and Citizen of the Year for the Cardinia Shire, unveiled the Malaya and Indonesia plaque. Denise Cervasio, daughter of Mr Leslie Wentworth Stephens, a veteran of the Korea conflict, then unveiled a plaque in honour of the Korean conflict. Mr Henry Van Diemen, tour of duty to Vietnam 1967, unveiled the plaque in honour of those who served in Vietnam. Mr Elliott thanked Travis Delarue    Landscapes and Tynong Quarry for the granite and the Shire of Cardinia for funding support. Miss Emma Marsen concluded the official ceremony with a beautiful rendition of the national anthem and Mr Damien Lord played The Last Post.Inner Wheel provided the lunch.

This we know: these memorials will keep in remembrance through the generations the names and contributions of those who defended our national sovereignty. It takes real commitment to acknowledge and then deliver the missing link in the story of defence service in our district. To know your past is to respect the families that have given greatly to the community through service to the nation in defence of freedom and all the values embodied in our shared national DNA. Congratulations to Mr Gary Elliott, along with his wife, Alma, and his team for dreaming and then finding a way to fulfil that dream. Well done, good and faithful servants. (Time expired)