Nova Peris (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak of the efforts of some proud Territorians who have been working hard to bring home to Australia the bodies of 25 soldiers who were killed serving our country in the Vietnam War but were buried in Malaysia and Singapore. One of these men was Corporal Reg Hillier, the only Territorian killed in the Vietnam War. Five hundred and twenty-one Australian soldiers were killed in the Vietnam War, but only 496 of those were brought home to Australia. Reg never made it home. His family could not afford to pay the 500 quid, a lot of money back in the 1960s—all that was needed to bring their son home. The Hillier family have never stopped their efforts to bring Reg's body home.

Recently Reg's nephew and a Territorian, Neil Bond, travelled to Malaysia with the President of the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia NT Rural Sub Branch, Bob Shewring, and Channel Nine's A Current Affair to visit the graves of Reg and others and, in doing so, brought the shameful story to our nation's attention.

The Northern Territory Vietnam veterans started a project called operation 'Bring Them Home'. Over the last six months, their work has achieved a critical breakthrough. The Prime Minister has announced that descendants who want to repatriate the remains of their loved ones from Malaysia and Singapore to Australia will be able to do so at the Commonwealth's expense.

I want to acknowledge the work of Neil Bond, Bob Shewring, Peter Mansell and Sue McCallum from the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia Northern Territory branch. When the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Senator Ronaldson, was sympathetic but not committed to bringing home our soldiers, these Territorians persisted. I am proud to say that earlier this year, after hearing of this project, Labor committed to bringing them home. I would like to acknowledge the work of my territory colleagues, the member for Lingiari, Warren Snowdon MP, and Luke Gosling OAM, who worked with the shadow minister for veterans affairs, Dave Feeney, to confirm our support for this passionate grassroots veteran and community effort. I am glad that both the Northern Territory and federal governments also decided to support it and, importantly, made this a bipartisan effort.

I would like to acknowledge Keith Payne VC and the family of Cameron Baird VC MG, who also supported the project, particularly when they visited the Northern Territory as part of the Borella Ride in early March this year. So many territorians supported this campaign, including my stepfather, Les Chapman, himself a Vietnam veteran who served two tours of duty in Vietnam. Chappie is an inspiration to me. He is passionate in his unwavering belief that those who served, and particularly those who gave their lives, should be honoured.

NT Vietnam veterans will now embark on the second stage of Operation 'Bring Them Home'—the exhumation and return to Australia of Reg and the other veterans, where the families wish this to be done. I hope this is not a long process, and the government should rest assured of our bipartisan support. We will be watching closely until the job is done and we will do anything we can to assist. It has already been far too long.

It is important that we not only remember our military history but that we also understand our rich and proud history. As you would know, Mr Acting Deputy President Gallacher, my sister, Vanessa Peris, served our country in the Australian Army for 10 years. As a territorian, I know that when war came to our nation in 1942 we defended Australia from our strategic position in our nation's north. Today in the territory we remain on the front line of our nation's defence. In fact, my great-grandfather, Jack Knox, served in the 2nd/16th Battalion AIF on the Kokoda Trail. In September this year I will walk the Kokoda Trail to pay my respects to him and every other Australian service person that served in our name.

I am proud that territorians have played a key leadership role in the effort to bring the 25 Vietnam veterans home, and I am proud of our unique and close relationship with our defence and veterans communities, forged in times of war and peace. Territorians have volunteered for service in every conflict. They represent us and make us proud. Territorians today are serving in faraway lands and they are always in our thoughts and prayers. For those we have lost, we will remember them. We will pay our respects. Lest we forget.