Craig Kelly (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) recognises the important role that national servicemen played in the defence of Australia;

(2) acknowledges that Australia owes a great debt to these men who underwent military training and served our nation, many of those on foreign soil, in the Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force, in the advancement and protection of Australia's national interests;

(3) further acknowledges that during the:

(a) first national service scheme between 1951 to 1959, approximately 227,000 men served across the three branches of the armed services, providing an important military capability during a period when Australia faced many international security challenges; and

(b) second national service scheme from 1964 to 1972, more than 804,000 men registered for national service, of whom more than 63,000 were called up to serve in the Australian Army, and that during this period, more than 15,000 went on to serve in the Vietnam War, with 201 killed and more than 1,200 wounded; and

(4) thanks the 'Nashos' for their service and encourages the Australian community to remember the service of these men each year on 14 February which is National Servicemen's Day.

There are words of this motion which I would like to read out. Firstly, we:

… recognise the important role that national servicemen played in the defence of—

our great country. We acknowledge:

… that Australia owes a great debt to these men who underwent military training and served our nation, many of those on foreign soil, in the Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force, in the advancement and protection of Australia's national interests …

We further acknowledge:

… that during the:

(a) first national service scheme between 1951 to 1959, approximately 227,000 men served across the three branches of the armed services, providing an important military capability during a period when Australia faced many international security challenges; and

(b) second national service scheme from 1964 to 1972, more than 804,000—

Australians—

registered for national service, of whom more than 63,000 were called up to serve in the Australian Army, and that during this period, more than 15,000 went on to serve in the Vietnam War, with 201 killed and more than 1,200 wounded …

We 'thank the "Nashos" for their service' and encourage:

… the Australian community to remember the service of these men each year on 14 February which is National Servicemen's Day.

I would like to add that many of our national servicemen that fought, and the over 200 that died in Vietnam, did so for the right cause. The conflict in Vietnam was one about halting the advance of communism, and in that goal we were successful, because Vietnam became the 18th and last country in world history to turn to communism. For those that do not think that was what the war was actually about, I quote from the Communist Party's official biography of Ho Chi Minh:

Ho Chi Minh … felt the need for active propaganda and organizational work in order to step up the revolutionary movement in colonial countries, including Vietnam. He deemed it his task to spread communist doctrine in Asia in general and in Indochina particularly.

There was a real threat at that time of Vietnam being more than the 18th country that turned communist.

Why should that concern us? Why should we be concerned about countries becoming communist? The history of the last century tells us that 100 million people perished directly at the hands of communist regimes. I read a good quote recently, and I would like to read it into the Hansard. It is a quote from Gary Morson's writing in The New Criterion, in an article called 'The house is on fire!' He said:

Western public opinion has never come to terms with the crimes of Communism. Every school child knows about the Holocaust, Apartheid, and American slavery, as they should. But Pol Pot's murder of a quarter of Cambodia's population has not dimmed academic enthusiasm for the Marxism his henchmen studied in Paris. Neither the Chinese Cultural Revolution nor the Great Purges seem to have cast a shadow on the leftists who apologized for them.

Perhaps the last words should go to Lee Kuan Yew, who wrote in his autobiography:

Although American intervention failed in Vietnam, it bought time for the rest of Southeast Asia. In 1965, when the US military moved massively into South Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines faced internal threats from armed communist insurgents and the communist underground was still active in Singapore … America's action enabled non-communist Southeast Asia to put their own houses in order. By 1975 (when the Vietnam war ended) they were in better shape to stand up to the communists. Had there been no US—

and Australian—

intervention, the will of these countries to resist them would have melted and Southeast Asia would have most likely gone communist. The prosperous emerging market economies of Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)—

that we know today—

were nurtured during the Vietnam War years.

And we have our national servicemen to thank for that.

Rob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the motion seconded?

Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I second the motion and reserve my right to speak.

Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do rise to speak to this important motion that recognises the significant contribution made by our national servicemen and remembers both their service and, indeed, their sacrifice. Australia has had a number of episodes of national service, having seen four periods of compulsory military service—the last one ending in 1972.

The first period of compulsory service began in 1911 and lasted throughout World War I. The period required boys from the age of 12 through to men in their mid-20s to undergo military training. It was suspended in 1929. The second period began a decade later, in 1939, and lasted until 1945, with unmarried 21-year-old men being called up for three months military training. When not deployed overseas, service was performed in Australia, and included service in New Guinea and nearby islands.

The third period started in 1951 and saw men aged 18 being required to register for national service, with a requirement to remain in the reserves for five years. This scheme trained approximately 33,000 men annually for the six years it was in operation. While universal obligation for service ended in 1957, selected training was introduced until the scheme ceased in 1959. While those in this scheme did not necessarily see active service, except for those who enlisted, our national servicemen did serve in our country in a variety of ways and were prepared to fight for their country.

National servicemen during this period were on naval ships that visited Korean waters during hostilities, were at Montebello Islands in Western Australia for the atomic tests, and at Maralinga in South Australia. So you can see from that activity that they made a significant contribution to our country. Although they were compelled to sign up, our nashos undertook their training and were prepared to put their lives on the line to protect our country. For that they should be acknowledged and remembered.

The last period of a national service scheme began in 1964 in response to Australia's growing involvement in South-East Asia. Under the National Service Act 1964, which included conscription from 1965, all 20-year-old males were required to register with the then Department of Labour and National Service, with their names selected by a birthday ballot. Between 1964 and 1972 over 804,000 men registered, with 63,000 being called up to serve for two years. They were integrated into the regular Army units. These men undertook 12 weeks of training before being assigned to different corps. Most were allocated to infantry, enabling our Army to increase to nine battalions. These nashos served in Borneo, Vietnam and in support units in Australia, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea.

From 1965 to 1972, 15,381 of these national servicemen served in the Vietnam War, with 1,279 wounded and 200 making the ultimate sacrifice of their lives. One of these men, 20-year-old Ross McMillan from Uralla in New South Wales, died as he set up a claymore mine outside the patrol perimeter on 2 February, 1968. Upon his death his section corporal wrote: 'I will never forget you, and I hope your country and its citizens will always remember your sacrifice.' Despite not having a choice to serve it was widely reported that our national servicemen did their training and their active and reserve duties with distinction and honour. Whether or not these men saw active duty overseas, they put their lives on hold and served side by side in the defence of Australia. They were willing to put their lives on the line, and we owe them a debt of gratitude. The nashos displayed the qualities that are often associated with our first Anzacs: courage, ingenuity, good humour and mateship. They should be honoured and remembered. I do, indeed, commend this motion to the House.

Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

May I also commend the member for Hughes for moving this motion in support of our national servicemen, a motion that aims to recognise in this parliament the important role that our servicemen have played in the defence of Australia. Nashos, as they are affectionately known, are an important part of our military history. Australia owes a great debt to our servicemen, who fought for the advancement of and protection of Australia's national interests. These are men who underwent military training and served our nation, many on foreign soil, in the Royal Australian Navy, the Australian Army and the Royal Australian Air Force.

Across the three branches of the armed services, around 227,000 young men served during the first National Service Scheme, between 1951 and 1959. During this period, in which Australia faced a number of international security challenges, our national servicemen were an important part of our military capability. More than 804,000 registered for national service under the second scheme, in 1964. Of those, more than 63,000 were called up to serve in the Australian Army between 1964 and 1972. During this time more than 15,000 of the nashos went on to serve in the Vietnam War, where some 200 died and more than 1,200 were wounded. To these men we are indebted.

In the short time we have today, I would particularly like to acknowledge some of the national servicemen in my community, on the Central Coast. On the Central Coast we have a strong and active presence of veterans' groups, supporting not only the nashos but also our wider community. Part of the work that is done includes local organisations supporting initiatives such as Trek 4 Vets, as well as supporting the Cancer Care Centre's Shirley Shuttle and the Brisbane Water arm of Legacy. Indeed, Ken Lyons, who is heavily involved in the work happening around the Gosford community, told me that for 18 years our national servicemen have been delivering Easter eggs to patients at Gosford Hospital. Each year, in the week leading up to Easter, the members donate money to buy chocolate eggs and spend a day spreading Easter cheer to patients and their families. Ken said that the first stop is always the children's ward, where it is rewarding to see the reaction from the children. He also mentioned that the members never want the adult patients to miss out either, so there are always plenty of Easter goodies to go around. This is a wonderful tradition, which Ken said means a lot to the nashos and also to the wider community.

I want to take this opportunity to also recognise the National Service 1951-1972 Re-Enactment Unit based in my electorate of Robertson and the important role they play in commemorating our national servicemen. The unit commander, David Myers, told me their motto is to 'respect and honour the memory', an important reminder for us to do the same. The re-enactment unit is a group of 18 members, 14 of whom are ex-servicemen, that does both ceremonial and educational re-enactments across the Central Coast. David said to me that visiting nursing homes like Tarragal House, BlueWave Living and Woodport Aged Care are some of the most special events for the unit. National servicemen are often residents of these villages and David said it allows both the unit members and residents to reflect on and to share stories of their time in the service.

The unit also plays an important role in educating the younger members of our community, sharing with them the significance of our national servicemen as part of our proud military history. The unit also visits schools across the Central Coast, including St Philip's Christian College, St Edward's Catholic College and Central Coast Grammar School, where they officiate Anzac Day ceremonies or act as a ceremonial honour guard. David said to me that this is an important part of the unit's mission, honouring the memory of our national servicemen and encouraging younger Australians to reflect on their sacrifice.

In closing, I encourage all Australians to reflect on the sacrifices these men have made for our nation. It is important to recognise our servicemen throughout the year, but particularly every year, on 14 February, which is National Servicemen's Day. So, today, I pay tribute to our national servicemen and thank them for their service to the nation.

Mike Kelly (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is a great privilege to be able to speak on this motion put forward by my colleague—no relation. It is good to see an acknowledgement of the opportunity that has been afforded us in delivering this motion. The nasho experience in Australian life and the history of our nation is a very significant one. The numbers have been quoted—altogether over 287,000 have served during the two phases of the National Service Scheme, the 1951 to 1959 and the 1965 to 1972 periods. During that time, 212 of those national servicemen perished on active service, a sacrifice on our nation's behalf that needs always to be remembered, acknowledged and commemorated.

I was pleased to see that the service of national servicemen was acknowledged also by a special declaration that was struck in 2001. I know that all of those national servicemen who received that declaration are very grateful for that acknowledgement. I think a lot of them felt that they had been left under the radar in many ways by the nation. It also was good to see the creation of the National Servicemen's Memorial at the War Memorial. I was pleased to be there at the opening of that memorial.

It was a scheme that, of course, was not without its controversy, and I will come back to that. But during the period from 1951 to 1959 it was universal—every 18-year-old male was called up for national service, so it was universal and equitable. It was actually quite a positive experience. People from every different background in Australian life had that experience together. It really was quite a formative thing in terms of binding our nation, in many ways. It would be nice to be able to find a way to achieve that kind of mechanism again some time in our future, to instil that understanding amongst our young that as well as having rights you also have an obligation and an investment in your nation. It was a very positive experience, bringing all aspects and levels of society together.

Many of our citizens who experienced national service went on to bigger and better things. We know of people like Tim Fischer and Bill Hayden, who both experienced national service, as well as famous sporting personalities like Dougie Walters and the singer Normie Rowe. There were businesspeople as well, like Lindsay Fox, who also was a beneficiary of the experience and reflects very fondly on it.

The second phase, the period from 1965 to 1972, was controversial in that it was not a universal scheme. There was the famous ballot, which really was a terrible mechanism—it left a lot to be desired, obviously—and, of course, involved overseas service. We have just had the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan, and it is important to remember that of the 18 soldiers who lost their lives in that battle—17 were killed in action and one later died of his wounds—11 were national servicemen. A further 13 of them were wounded in action. They fought side by side, literally shoulder to shoulder—and died shoulder to shoulder—with their regular-service colleagues.

An interesting thing out of that period, and even the previous period, is that quite a lot of people in national service went on to become regulars and serve in the Army. In my early years in the Army I came across quite a lot of them, and they passed on to me many of the skills and much of the knowledge that served me so well in my Army career. So I would like to personally pay tribute to those national service people. Those who left the Army were in a difficult situation. They did not have the embrace of the Regular Army and were more exposed to the very unfortunate community attitudes at the time, and they suffered a great deal as a consequence. They went from the drama and trauma of a battle like Long Tan straight back into civilian life with no real support or follow-up. I really want to pay tribute to those who endured, and their families, who dealt with all of the traumas and difficulties they faced upon their separation without backup. I hope that we continue to learn the lesson of providing our ex-service personnel with support and come up with more creative and innovative ideas to help manage the transition into civilian life and manage stress into the future.

My own father was a national servicemen. Interestingly, all our family have served in the military; my father was the only one who did not want to join voluntarily and he ended up being conscripted. But he certainly had a positive experience out of a very important part of our national history.

Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I welcome the opportunity to speak today on this motion in recognition of the crucial role that national servicemen play in the service of their nation. I commend the member for Hughes for bringing on this motion.

We sometimes forget that nearly 290,000 were called up for national service between 1951 and 1972, under two schemes. For decades their service and their loss have been overlooked. As my colleague the member for Eden-Monaro just said, they have often fallen under the radar. So, when more than 4,000 national servicemen met in Canberra for the unveiling of a national service memorial fountain in 2010 at the Australian War Memorial, the moment was a very special and long-anticipated one. It was the product of an extraordinary and prolonged campaign to get to that place on that day. It was one that had taken more than nine years of design, fundraising and construction, and it was one that, for the longest of times, must have seemed impossible.

The treatment of returned servicemen following the Vietnam War is a well-documented moment of shame in the history of this nation. All too often we have allowed the political divisions of the era to obscure the people who were actually involved. Too often we have let questions over why we were there crowd out the appropriate recognition and support of those who were there. Over 500 Australians were killed in the Vietnam War, and nearly 40 per cent of them were nashos. The national service memorial fountain recognises their sacrifice but it does not limit its recognition to them alone, because to narrow one's scope to those who lost their lives is to miss those many, many more who were wounded and made it home, often to very difficult and challenging times. They had to stare down a lot of demons, as did their families. We are yet to realise the full scale of the wounds inflicted by the Vietnam War. We are gaining a greater understanding, and I think the recent Long Tan commemoration highlighted the fact that there are still a number of significant issues that we need to address. Enemy fire caused some, but there remain emotional and mental scars that were caused by much more than bullets and mines. Sadly, many will not heal.

The National Servicemen's Association called the dedication a moment that could finally bring 'closure to the Vietnam era'. Situated at the Australian War Memorial, the fountain commemorates the nearly 290,000 former nashos who served in the Australian Defence Force, including 212 who died on active service in the Borneo and Vietnam conflicts. It is right for a country like Australia to debate the legitimacy of any conflict and the appropriateness of our involvement; it is wrong to use that debate as a means to distract from the very real sacrifice and the very real bravery that we asked our national servicemen to exhibit on our behalf. Their cause was our own, but we turned our backs on them. When we did so, we left their grief and trauma to be dealt with in silence and in private. I am glad that attitudes are finally changing. As I said, the Long Tan commemoration underscored that fact.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the great work that has been done in the Canberra community by the local RSLs, in particular the RSLs in Tuggeranong and Woden Valley and also the Hellenic RSL. The work is ongoing because the challenge is still there, but we are lucky to have organisations both locally and nationally that are so diligently and effectively working to meet it. I thank the nashos for their service and I encourage the Canberra and wider Australian community to remember the service of these men on 14 February, which is National Servicemen's Day.

In closing, I want to acknowledge my late father. He died two months ago. He was also one of the nashos of the first scheme—the universal scheme from 1951 to 1959. As you know, Mr Deputy Speaker Mitchell, all young men aged 18 were called up for training in Navy, Army and Air Force. My father was a huge fan of national service. He loved the time he spent there. He was an electrician from a working-class background and it gave him the opportunity, because of its universality, to meet people from a broad range of backgrounds. In the fifties, Australia was very sectarian and very divided by class, so for a working-class boy national service provided a mountain of opportunities. He was very strongly of the view that national service should be compulsory.

Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I appreciate the opportunity to speak. It is an absolute privilege to rise and speak on this motion today. We as a people and as a nation owe a great debt of gratitude to the men and women who have served this great nation, no matter what ensign they served under, be it the Royal Australian Navy, the Australian Regular Army, the Royal Australian Airforce, the Merchant Navy, the Citizen Military Force, the Reserve or, for that matter, those who have served our nation in various agencies but can never speak of their service.

Military service, national service and veterans' issues are causes that are particularly close to my heart. In my first speech in this place I mentioned that my father, John Gosling, is the son of a World War II veteran and that when Dad was called up for national service at the age of 20 he chose the infantry and joined the fight in Vietnam. My dad's birthday, 21 December 1948, came up in the national service lottery. You can see the barrel that they used to draw the marbles, each imprinted with a birthdate, at the National Vietnam Veterans Museum at San Remo in Victoria. Dad felt that national service was the result of a democratic process and that there was some good that came of the training, if not much good from the war. National service created a significant impression on my dad and gave him lifelong friends. I remember meeting Dad's nasho mates coming to our house in the seventies, and I have seen the strength of those bonds. Dad joined the 6th Battalion on their second tour and he lost some good mates in firefights in the Nui May Tao Mountains. Dad knew nashos who were killed and of course, as mentioned earlier, there were many nashos who paid the ultimate sacrifice at the battle of Long Tan in the 6th Battalion's first tour.

My dad instilled in me a deep sense of respect for service to our nation and the virtue of public service. The National Service Medal includes the stars of the Southern Cross, representing national service being influential in the machinery of the Defence Force during a time of need and its broad impact in Australia. Surrounding the central device on the medal is a cog, the traditional symbol representing the spirit of cooperation between the Australian Defence Force and the Australian community. I can clearly remember when the National Service Medal was introduced in 2001. I remember thinking: 'Well, that's about time.' Four years later, on 17 July 2005, the National Servicemen's Association of the Northern Territory in Darwin was formed, and it currently has 22 members.

Members of the National Servicemen's Association of the Northern Territory are active in my electorate of Solomon, including in the Pensioners Workshop in Winnellie, which is a Men's Shed that, amongst other things, produces works of art such as a wooden Territory plaque that will soon welcome people to my parliamentary office. The Northern Territory association was instrumental in the campaign to rename the path on Darwin's Esplanade to 'Anzac Centenary Walk', complete with a plaque, and also at the Darwin North RSL earlier this year they laid a plaque. The Darwin North RSL is home to the National Servicemen's Association of the Northern Territory. The Darwin North RSL is currently in a battle to stay afloat and I am confident they will succeed with much community support. I really want to thank all of the people who have pledged support to help Darwin North stay afloat. If you want to help at all in that effort, please get in touch with me. When the shadow minister for veterans' affairs, Amanda Rishworth, visited Darwin last week we met with Kaz from the NT veterans' centre at the Darwin North RSL. I think it is a location that is ideally suited for a physical NT veterans' centre that will be built.

I just want to quickly acknowledge my friend Tony Sievers on his election to the NT parliament and his appointment as the Assistant Minister for Veterans Affairs, Men’s Policy and Sports and Community Events under the Chief Minister, Michael Gunner.

The National Servicemen's Association NT holds a remembrance day every year at the Adelaide River War Cemetery. The Darwin North RSL, with the National Servicemen's Association, put on a cracking Anzac Day service each year. Most members of the NT National Servicemen's Association were a part of the earlier intakes of national service, including the president, Ivan Walsh.

National servicemen were called up at a time of great uncertainty for our country and, should we not be able to meet future force requirements, the issue may again enter the Australian experience. To our national servicemen: thank you for your service and your ongoing contribution to the community. I salute you for your service and your concern for the protection of our land, our freedoms and our way of life. Thank you.

Debate adjourned.