VIETNAMESE INVALID VETERANS' ASSOCIATION

Mrs VLAHOS (Taylor) (15:42): I would like to speak today about an event I attended on Saturday night at Grand Junction Road, Athol Park. It was the annual general meeting of the Friends of the Vietnamese Invalid Veterans' Association (FOVIVA). With me at the event was Dr Arn Tuan Ngo, who is the President of the Vietnamese Invalid Veterans' Association; our Lieutenant-Governor, Mr Hieu Van Le, and his wife; and Mr Bill Denny AM, the Chair of the South Australian ANZAC Day Committee who was representing the President of the RSL in South Australia, Jock Statton.

Mr Moose Benyk, the President of the Vietnam Veterans' Association; Mr John Gillman, the President of the Vietnam Veterans' Federation; Mr Loc Doan, the President of the Vietnamese Community in Australia, SA Chapter and many other people were at the FOVIVA AGM dinner. It was a really important event. I must admit that I did not know an awful lot about FOVIVA until recently. Just over a month ago, all that changed when I attended a meeting at the Vietnam Veterans' Association, Northern Suburbs Branch, with Ian LeRaye and Pieter Pedro Dawson, who run the organisation with many good people at the Edinburgh RAAF Base.

When I attended this event on that day, Dr Ngo, Mr Tam and Mr Quy made an excellent presentation to the assembled membership about the work they do. The aim of their organisation is very admirable. It is a worthy culture that is rich in generosity and compassion, and the Vietnamese community is rich in this spirit. They manage to go forward and ensure that they do not forget those who are less fortunate. In fact, FOVIVA is based around the idea of giving assistance to those people who are in Vietnam today but fought alongside our veterans during the Vietnam War and are perhaps overlooked by that government in the care that they receive and are due as ex-servicemen.

I was humbled by the spirit of camaraderie which is so strong today, almost 50 years after the event. It is the spirit that does not forget old friends and strives to help them, no matter what. Together, FOVIVA has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars Australia-wide, particularly in South Australia, and to very worthy works.

Many years ago, Vietnam was plunged into a turmoil of war and it lasted for many, many years. Indeed, many hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese people perished and many came to our country, not surrendering to the tyrant's heel. These people, with courage and perseverance, and with nothing more than the clothes on their backs, have struck out for a new land, which is Australia, and we have been privileged to welcome them.

I know many of these people live and work in my electorate and they are hardworking and compassionate people. FOVIVA is an important part of the community to them as well. They have come to love this country, just as we have come to appreciate their community contribution. The Vietnamese community have embraced their new home and I am sure they have not forgotten their old home and provide alms to their comrades who are invalided through such terrible things as landmines and the trauma of war that they saw during their time as veterans.

So, I would like to place on the record my admiration for their compassion and passion for their comrades who served alongside of them, and the Australian soldiers who served alongside of them, and congratulate them on everything that they do. It is a worthy sentiment of the value of the community that we place this on the record. I congratulate them on another successful year, and the money they have raised, and wish them well in the year ahead as they continue to do important works for this community in Vietnam.