Susan Lamb (Longman, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Approximately 4,000 veterans live in the electorate of Longman. Today I would like to introduce to the Federation Chamber just two of those veterans who live in my electorate. First of all I would like to introduce Darryl Shipp. Darryl is the Queensland state secretary of the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia. Darryl served as a leading aircraftman in the RAAF. As I said, he is now the state secretary in Queensland. He now spends his time continuing to work in the community. Of course, he spends a lot of time at Remembrance House in Burpengary helping veterans.

The other person I would like to introduce is Jock Young. Jock is the secretary of the Bribie Island sub-branch of the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia. Jock served as a sergeant in the No. 35 Squadron. He now spends his days working with the community. In fact, he helps out community groups like Dragons Abreast that paddle on the beautiful Pumicestone Passage. He also fills his days helping the veteran community.

It's a really great privilege to once again be invited to two ceremonies this Saturday for Vietnam Veterans Day, an incredibly important day. The Caboolture sub-branch will be celebrating Vietnam Veterans Day at Remembrance House in Burpengary. They will start with a march and finish with a service at the Progress Road memorial. I'm looking forward to joining John, Paddy, Bruce, Trevor and their wonderful secretary, Elfie Cox. It'll be an absolute honour to join them.

Later in the day we will head over to Bribie Island, where I will join Reverend Colin Baxter, Doug, Ray, Arnold, Jill and Jock. We will start with a march as well on Bribie just down the road from the RSL and finish with a service at the memorial park across the road from the RSL. It will be the 26th anniversary of this event on Bribie Island.

The VVAA motto is: honour the dead and fight like hell for the living. It is an absolute honour to be invited again to participate in those services on Saturday. I say to every serving, retired and remembered service man and woman: thank you for your service. Our community thanks you for your service. Our country thanks you for your service.