Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senators Lambie, Bilyk, Polley and Brown, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

  (i) the decision of the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal in Barnett and the Department of Defence re: Sheean [2019] DHAAT 09 (23 July 2019),

  (ii) that the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal is an independent statutory body established under the Defence Act 1903 to consider Defence honours and awards matters, and

  (iii) that on 23 July 2019 the Tribunal decided to recommend to the Minister for Defence Personnel that:

(A) the decision by the Chief of Navy to refuse to recommend the award of the Victoria Cross for Australia to Ordinary Seaman Edward Sheean in respect of his actions in HMAS Armidale during a Japanese aerial attack in the Timor Sea on 1 December 1942 be set aside,

(B) the Minister recommend to the Sovereign that Ordinary Seaman Edward Sheean be posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia for the most conspicuous gallantry and a pre-eminent act of valour in the presence of the enemy in HMAS Armidale during a Japanese aerial attack in the Timor Sea on 1 December 1942; and

(b) calls on the Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Personnel to uphold the recommendation of the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal and immediately recommend to the Sovereign that Ordinary Seaman Edward 'Teddy' Sheean be posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia.

Question agreed to.