Andrew Charlton (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to advocate for a long overdue recognition of a significant, but often overlooked, group in our nation's history—the Chinese Anzacs. Not far from us, on the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial, a list of 102,000 names commemorates the Australian men and women who have died in service to their country. Every year, millions of Australians commemorate the sacrifices made by these brave souls, who served for and died under the Anzac banner.

Standing shoulder to shoulder with our servicemen and women during World War I were thousands of Chinese labourers. Up to 140,000 Chinese labourers were estimated to have worked alongside Australian, British, French and Russian troops. They dug the trenches, unloaded the ships and buried the dead. These forgotten Chinese Labour Corps shared in our nation's founding story. In the most difficult of times they shared our courage, our mateship and our sacrifices. From the shores of Gallipoli to the battlefields of the Pacific, they showed unwavering bravery and they shared our Anzac spirit.

It's therefore unfortunate that today the tales of heroism and valour of the Chinese Labour Corps and Chinese Anzacs have been relegated to the footnotes in our history books. I recently met Mr Albert Wong, who shared with me his passion for the Chinese Anzacs and the book that he caused to be written to tell the story of the Chinese Anzacs. He shared with me his idea to build a statue for these forgotten heroes. He shared with me a design showing a warm embrace between a Chinese Anzac soldier and one of the many Chinese soldiers who supported the war effort. From there, he shared with me his vision for a modern, multicultural Australia unified by the Anzac spirit. With a design by renowned sculptor Linda Klarfeld, this statue will be titled 'The Forgotten'. It will serve as a permanent reminder of the shared sacrifices made by Australians of all backgrounds in the defence of our freedoms. It will stand as a testament to the inclusive spirit of the Anzac tradition and remind future generations of the importance of unity and mateship in the face of adversity.

In honouring the Chinese Anzacs, we reaffirm our commitment to a more inclusive and equitable society. Let us ensure that their legacy endures not just in the pages of history books but in the hearts and minds of Australians.