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

The Vietnam War was Australia's longest military engagement in the 20th century. Almost 60,000 Australians fought in that conflict, and we lost over 500. Vietnam Veterans Day is commemorated each 18 August because that was the date of the Battle of Long Tan, where 108 soldiers—young Australians from Delta Company 6RAR, supported by other Australian and New Zealander troops—resisted an attack of anywhere between 1,500 and 2,500 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops. It was one of the most extraordinary chapters in Australia's more recent military history.

There has been a film called Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tanproduced about this battle, and it is screening in Parliament House tonight, so if anyone listening to this wants to come along, just ring my office and I'll sort you out a ticket. It's been getting great reviews. I'm working with a local veterans organisation in Darwin to put on a fundraising screening of the film on 8 August, with funds raised going towards local veterans organisations and first responder organisations. It's very important that we remember our past but also support those who continue to represent us.