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

I rise today to honour the service of the brave Anzacs in the Battle of Long Tan. This Friday marks the 51st anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan, a battle which is a symbol of Australian triumph and valour despite insurmountable odds. The Vietnam War was the longest major conflict in which Australians had served, but one battle in particular has remained firmly in our nation's consciousness. In each theatre of war there's always a battle that seems to stand out as a signal of Australian strength and the Anzac spirit, whether it be Gallipoli or Tobruk. In Vietnam, it was Long Tan. When we think about it, Australians were outnumbered 20 to one by the Vietcong, yet they fought for four hours in the rain during a monsoonal storm. It was four hours that redefined the nation and redefined how the battle for Vietnam was going. It is a mark of who we are, and it encapsulates grit and determination.

Sadly, we lost 18 Australian diggers in that battle, but the enemy suffered casualties far, far worse. Sadly, over many decades we have seen the issues faced by those who returned, and it's only in more modern times that we've accepted that what they did was right and that what they did was very brave. So I encourage all members to go to services this Friday and support our Vietnam vets. If you get a chance, come and see where I'll be, at the only Vietnam veteran's commemorative wall in this nation.