Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Hansard source

I thought I had seen everything, when it comes to the way this government treats our veterans, but today they have sunk to a whole new low. Teddy Sheean is an Australian hero. He deserves a Victoria Cross for his acts of bravery in World War II. I know it, his family knows it and the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal knows it.

Last year, the awards tribunal reviewed the recommendation in the 2013 Defence paper that Teddy Sheean should not be awarded a Victoria Cross. After days of public hearings, in Hobart, the tribunal found, 'Ordinary Seaman Edward Sheean meets the eligible criteria for the Victoria Cross for Australia.' Not only that, 'The tribunal finds that Sheean's acts surpass comparable acts that resulted in the award of the Imperial Victoria Cross.' They concluded that the Minister for Defence should 'recommend to the sovereign that Ordinary Seaman Edward Sheean be posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia'. That's what the independent tribunal thinks. They say that Teddy Sheean meets and exceeds the standard to receive a VC; he's deserving of this recognition. There is not one other VC holder out there that has done what Teddy Sheean has done. Not one. I will show the utmost respect to every VC holder, but they have not done what Sheean has done.

What does the government do? They ignore that recommendation. They decide to overrule it, because the Liberals know best, apparently. This afternoon, the Minister for Defence told this chamber:

… the government's view is that the 2019 review by the tribunal did not present any compelling new evidence that might support reconsideration of the valour inquiry's recommendation.

I am totally floored today. I'm in shock, like every other Tasmanian out there. That's just calling it for what it is. It's absolute cowardice. They cannot admit they overlooked Sheehan all this time. They can't show up here, hand on heart, and say in front of everyone, 'We messed this up, but we're going to fix it up.' No, they don't have the guts. They don't have the spine to do that. They just don't. They'd rather be stubborn, dig in their heels and deny the overdue recognition to a true bloody Australian hero—a true Australian hero.

If you haven't heard the story yet, let me tell you about Teddy. This is the person being denied full honours by the Australian government. Teddy was 18 years of age when he signed up to serve the Royal Australian Navy in World War II. Just a year later, in 1942, he was wounded during an attack from Japanese aircraft on HMAS Armidale. Rather than flee, he strapped himself in to his anti-aircraft canon and opened fire. I'd love to see the PM doing that one: 'Let's go!' That decision, to tie his fate to a gun sinking to the bottom of the ocean, brought down two planes and helped save the lives of 49 crew. Like I said, I have not seen one other VC winner in history do what this man has done.

He's left behind family and friends. According to the awards tribunal, 'His pre-eminent act of valour and most conspicuous gallantry saved lives. His heroism became the standard to which the men and women of the modern Navy aspire to.' It was an act of extraordinary courage, and it amazes me that this 18-year-old kid could show more bravery than the entire Australian government today. That is absolutely shameful. Let's be very clear about this. What more could Teddy have possibly done to take this award home? What more? He gave everything he had for his country and his fellow crew members. There is nothing more he could possibly have done. He did it all. But this government has always been so afraid of revisiting Sheean's case; they don't want to admit they've got it wrong in the past. They're scared they might open up a can of worms. They're scared they might set a precedent for some others that think they might deserve a VC!

Well, you show me someone else who saved over 40 lives and brought down two aircraft and tied themselves to a goddamn gun on a ship and went down with the ship. Find me somebody else who has that in their resume. Oh, please do. I'll tell you what: I'm not going away, and you are. I'll tell the defence minister now: she's going to own up to her mistakes. She has a lot of explaining to do, and there's still work to be done in this house. What I don't want to do in this house is another deal over a veteran, because deals shouldn't be done. That is just disrespectful.

Before I finish, I want to say this: thank you so much, Minister Guy Barnett, for all your effort. And to you, Gary Ivy: stay there; I haven't finished yet! (Time expired.)