House of Assembly Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1) 52 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Aboriginal Veterans Commemorative Service ABORIGINAL VETERANS COMMEMORATIVE SERVICE Mrs VLAHOS House of Assembly Taylor ABORIGINAL VETERANS COMMEMORATIVE SERVICE Mrs VLAHOS (Taylor) (14:05): My question is to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs. Can the minister advise the house of commemorative events and other ways in which South Australia is acknowledging the contribution of our state's Aboriginal veterans? The Hon. T.R. KENYON House of Assembly Newland Minister for Recreation Minister for Road Safety Minister for Veterans' Affairs Minister Assisting the Premier with South Australia's Strategic Plan ABORIGINAL VETERANS COMMEMORATIVE SERVICE The Hon. T.R. KENYON (Newland—Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing, Minister for Road Safety, Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Minister Assisting the Premier with South Australia's Strategic Plan) (14:05): I thank the honourable member for her question. I know she is very interested in veterans' affairs having travelled to commemorate the Battle of Crete just recently. As a nation we recognise, commemorate and honour the servicemen and women who have served our nation in conflict. We especially commemorate those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. It is quite pertinent in view of recent days as we have lost a number of servicemen in the last few weeks and it is important that we remember them. We honour their ANZAC spirit, their courage and adversity, their service, mateship and self-sacrifice. A group of veterans who have not received as much recognition in the past as they should have is our Aboriginal veterans. Aboriginal veterans have served with honour and distinction in every conflict involving our nation—from the Boer War, Gallipoli and through to more recent conflicts including Iraq and Afghanistan. Regulations which restricted Aboriginal Australians from enlistment were only abandoned in 1949. This meant that, at the time of their enlistment, many Aboriginal veterans were not even considered to be Australian citizens. They actually had to deny their Aboriginality in order to serve. Because of this, it has been very difficult to ascertain exactly how many Aboriginal servicemen and women have served in our armed forces or who they were. A register of Aboriginal veterans of South Australia is currently being compiled to identify, as best as possible, Aboriginal South Australians who have served our nation. A team of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal veterans, supported by the Council of Aboriginal Elders of South Australia, the Returned and Services League (SA Branch), Reconciliation SA and Veterans SA, is attempting to create a document that will, for the first time, identify Aboriginal South Australians who contributed to the defence of our nation. I believe the Register of Aboriginal Veterans of South Australia has so far identified about 400 Aboriginal South Australians who served our nation. Some made the ultimate sacrifice, some were decorated for gallantry, some were taken as prisoners of war and many were wounded. It is fitting then, as we honour our Aboriginal veterans, that the fifth annual Aboriginal Veterans Commemorative Service was recently held at the South Australian National War Memorial on North Terrace. This service was first held in 2007 as part of National Reconciliation Week and received support from the state government through Reconciliation SA and Veterans SA, and has also received much encouragement, support and coordination from the RSL in South Australia. I am pleased to advise the house that the Aboriginal Veterans Commemorative Service was well attended by a wide cross-section of the community, who stood shoulder to shoulder to honour the service of our Aboriginal veterans. At the end of the service, five veterans stood on the marble steps of our South Australian National War Memorial. They were proud Aboriginal veterans of World War II, Korea, Malaya, Vietnam and Afghanistan. This was a unique gathering of veterans. After the commemorative service, and as part of Reconciliation Week, a short film entitled For Love of Country was launched. This film chronicles the contribution of Aboriginal servicemen and women in the defence of Australia. The film features interviews with a number of Aboriginal veterans who explain why they fought so hard to serve our nation when they had not been afforded the full rights of Australian citizenship and legally were not allowed to enlist. This important project was sponsored by Veterans SA in partnership with Reconciliation SA, the RSL and the Department of Veterans' Affairs. I am very pleased that this film will be provided to all primary and secondary schools across South Australia as it is an important record of the personal experiences of Aboriginal veterans who served our nation. It may also be of interest to members that Aboriginal veterans will soon be recognised by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander War Memorial. I am advised that planning for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander War Memorial is well underway and is expected to be located adjacent to the Torrens Parade Ground. This will be a welcome addition alongside other memorials unveiled in recent years honouring our servicemen and women.