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

This Sunday, 18 August, is Vietnam Veterans Day. On this day in 1966 men of the 6th Battalion, supported by New Zealand artillery, encountered the Vietcong in a rubber plantation outside the village of Long Tan. In the ensuing battle they were outnumbered 10 to one. Eighteen Australians lost their lives, and 24 were wounded. It was the single greatest loss of life Australia suffered during the Vietnam War. In the years that followed, they came together to remember their mates lost on that fateful day. Now we gather to commemorate all those who served in Vietnam on that day. And the war still lingers. A veteran wrote to me recently:

But what about the other 364 days of the year. Many of us are still hurting every single one of those days.

Many of us didn't go of our own volition, we were sent there because of a government edict. And what did we achieve? Everyone completely underestimated the enemy.

He goes on:

… around 50,000 of us were sent over there and about 500 came home in body bags and I wonder how many of us wish we had been in a body bag rather than suffer the mental trauma that has beset us since we came home and that's on top of the ones with physical injuries.

There is a Vietnam Veterans Day commemoration on Sunday at Reg Hillier House at Bees Creek, just outside of Darwin—in your electorate, Deputy Speaker Scrymgour. It is always a fantastic event.

This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the significant events in Timor-Leste in 1999. This September we are commemorating all Australians—military, police and civilians—who served in Timor-Leste and the sacrifice of their families. In particular, we remember the six Australians who lost their lives serving in Timor-Leste or as a result of that service in Timor-Leste. There will be commemorative services and events held here in Canberra; at the peacekeepers memorial in Dili; in Darwin; in Perth; in Sydney; and at unit reunions in Townsville as well. They will be on Friday 20 September. Why on 20 September? It's because this is when the main body of INTERFET arrived in Dili 25 years ago. Like 18 August—Long Tan Day and now Vietnam Veterans Day—for Vietnam veterans, 20 September is the date that we commemorate and thank all those who have served in our neighbour Timor-Leste, and we also come together to honour the families of those who served in Timor-Leste.

We owe a great deal to our serving men and women and also their families. This Sunday is an opportunity to remember those who served in the Vietnam War, and it is also 25 years since our service began and continues with Timor-Leste.