ADJOURNMENT

Dr SCAMPS (Mackellar) (19:29): Tonight I rise to mark a significant anniversary in our nation's history, the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan. The Battle of Long Tan was one of the most defining engagements of Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War. Last weekend I had the privilege of attending a commemoration of this anniversary at Palm Beach RSL alongside Vietnam veterans, serving and former members of the Australian and allied defence forces, their families and members of our local community.

I was honoured to hand out over 40 federal government certificates of appreciation to Vietnam veterans. I hope that this does a little to make up for the ill treatment that many veterans faced on their return from the Vietnam War. Doug McGrath, president of the 9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment Association, addressed the gathering.

Doug spoke of the experience of Australian soldiers in Vietnam and of the challenges that many faced when they returned home. He provided a deeply personal insight into the life of an infantry combat soldier, particularly that of a Nasho, the nickname for the young Australian men conscripted under the National Service Scheme during the Vietnam War era. His words were heartfelt, honest and profoundly moving.

They reminded all of us that behind every military record, every medal and every anniversary are young Australians whose lives were forever changed by that war or cut short. I'd like to share some of Doug's words in the House today. He said: I am a third-generation military veteran, as are many Vietnam Veterans.

We inherited from our forefathers the military traditions of courage, commitment, resilience, service, mateship and larrikinism which were forged in Gallipoli and the Western Front; cemented in Britain, the Middle East and the Pacific in WWII and then Korea, so these qualities were in our DNA when we deployed as soldiers to Vietnam. I am proud to acknowledge that these characteristics have been constantly demonstrated by the Vietnam Veterans.

We have continued to serve our communities, care for our mates and their families, display resilience and courage, particularly when faced with serious medical challenges and there are still plenty of larrikins among us. I was only in the army for two years but have continued to serve the veteran and wider community for over fifty years. Service before self.

Doug went on to speak about equality. He said: Our battalion was made up of men from all over Australia, sons of migrants from all the British countries, most European countries, Lebanon and more. We had aboriginals and men of diverse religious backgrounds, regular soldiers, national servicemen, original battalion members and others who joined us as during the tour as reinforcements.

But as soldiers; we never cared about where they came from, what education they had, where they had trained, what their race or religion was. Everyone was treated equally. All we cared about as soldiers was that they would fit in and do their job to the best of their ability to keep us all alive.

Doug finished by reflecting on the lesson he learnt, saying: I learnt a lot about myself and other men who I would never have met in normal circumstances. I learnt what can be achieved with courage, commitment to a cause and each other, resilience and good leadership. And that ordinary men—can achieve extra-ordinary things—in times of crisis and adversity.

You can be proud of these ordinary men, who represented you with distinction, as soldiers in Vietnam. He also sent me a poem, and I'll read a little extract from that as well: We all miss our mates who didn't get back, Denied the chance to give life a crack. No wife, no kids, grandkids, career, Never a laugh, or to share a mate's beer.

Their lives cut short at the hands of the Cong Fifty years later, the memory's still strong So much to live for, but gone in a flash In a distant jungle, the sound of a clash. I thank Doug McGrath for his generosity in sharing these reflections with our community. His words offered a powerful reminder of the realities faced by those who served in Vietnam and of why it remains so important that we continue to listen and learn from our veterans.