Aaron Violi (Casey, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It speaks to the strength of my community that we have nine local RSL clubs across the electorate. These clubs are pillars of our local townships, but first and foremost they are a second home to our brave veterans and their families. They offer a welcoming space, camaraderie, social connection and assistance with the difficult transition back into civilian life. They are a place to turn to and find understanding among peers, and support when it is needed, but they also play a role in binding our communities together.

On the weekend I visited Lilydale RSL to celebrate the Cowey-Selman Kokoda Scholarship, run by local RSLs to enable a local student to visit and trek the Kokoda Trail. While scholarship recipient Cameron couldn't make it, we heard from year 11 student Riley, who also went on the trip thanks to a GoFundMe campaign by the local community. It was fantastic to hear Riley's appreciation for the courage and sacrifice of our veterans after experiencing the reality of Kokoda firsthand. Next week there will be a Kokoda Day commemorative service at One Tree Hill in Tremont, and on 18 August we as a nation will say a deep 'thank you' to the 60,000 Australians who served in the Vietnam War.

On 13 August I'll be speaking at the Yarra Valley RSL memorial service in Healesville for the Vietnam War and the Battle of Long Tan. I'll be laying a wreath and speaking about the extraordinary courage of our soldiers and the sacrifice they made for our country. This year marks the 50th anniversary since the end of the Vietnam War. To all the RSLs in Casey—Lilydale, Mount Evelyn, Monbulk, Healesville, Yarra Glen, Upper Yarra, Warburton, Dandenong Ranges, and Upwey Belgrave—thank you, firstly, for your service, and now for all the work you do supporting our veterans and for your involvement in our community.

While speaking about the strength of our local RSLs, I pay tribute to Roger Boness, a giant of the Mount Evelyn community and past president of the Mount Evelyn RSL. I was saddened to hear of Roger's passing recently, but I had the honour of attending his funeral. The crowd of hundreds was a testament to the love and respect our community had for him. At just 22, Roger served in Vietnam at Nui Dat, where he patrolled the jungle, but this wasn't the only enemy that he had to contend with. On one occasion, Roger was bitten by a snake on the rear end—a story told at his funeral and one that has delighted a generation of Mount Evelyn Primary School students, whom he regularly visited. When Roger returned to Australia in 1968, he struggled. He openly said: 'I think we were all mentally disturbed by it. In fact, it took me a while—years, at least—to start to be normal again.' Soon after returning, he married his beloved wife, Julie, moved to Mount Evelyn and raised two children, Stuart and Alice. Roger immersed himself in the Mount Evelyn community, joining the footy team, the tennis team and, of course, the RSL. He became president in 2011 and got to work fostering connections with local schools, businesses and clubs. He organised students to write to active members serving in Afghanistan and made a group of local teens custodians of the war memorial, which inspired them to paint an Anzac mural on their building. He oversaw the complete makeover of the local war memorial park to make it more accessible for the growing crowds at services, and a reflective space for the community to enjoy. He installed the howitzer, the lighting, the honour roll plaque and the 18 individual World War I plaques there as well.

Under Roger's leadership, membership increased, poppy and Anzac token sales grew and attendance at services skyrocketed, from 150 to now being one of the largest services in the area, with over 3,000 attendees. His effort gained him the nickname 'Front Page Roger' for all the media attention he brought to the RSL and Mount Evelyn township.

The Mount Evelyn community owes a great debt to Roger, and we will miss him deeply. He leaves it a stronger community and a better place. Vale, Roger Boness.