Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to express my gratitude to the shadow minister for defence personnel and veterans, Amanda Rishworth, the member for Kingston, for visiting my electorate during the winter break. With the shadow minister, I attended both the RAAF Williams bases at Point Cook and Laverton and was very pleased to see how well the museum is going. Of course, Point Cook was the first RAAF base in Australia, and the museum there is fantastic. I'd encourage all to go.

I also want to share my appreciation for those from Werribee RSL and the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia's western suburbs sub-branch who met with the shadow minister to share their stories of dealing with the bureaucracies and with the Department of Veterans' Affairs and the way that they're supporting our young veterans. Recently, some of them returned from overseas. Some of the stories were quite heart breaking, but the work that these men are doing to support another generation is exemplary, and they should be commended for that work.

I also, of course, look forward to meeting with the Vietnam veterans in my electorate on Friday for Vietnam Veterans Day, which will mark the 51st anniversary, at the Werribee cenotaph. I encourage locals to go there, join with our Vietnam veterans and show them some respect. I want to thank the Vietnam veterans for the support that they give me in the electorate by making sure that I am included in all of their events. (Time expired)