VETERANS' ADVISORY COUNCIL

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (14:35): My question is to the Treasurer—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Ms BEDFORD: Can the Treasurer inform the house about the new membership of the Veterans' Advisory Council for 2012?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Treasurer, Minister for Workers Rehabilitation, Minister for Defence Industries, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (15:35): I thank the member for Florey for the question. I also acknowledge the member for Florey's passion and dedication to our veterans' community. She attends many, many veterans events, and I think she has quite a close relationship with the Royal Australian Regiment Association, from memory, as well.

Members may recall that in 2008 the government created a veterans' affairs portfolio, and subsequently a Veterans' Advisory Council. Our initiative was welcomed by the veterans' community and has become a model for state veterans' affairs representation around the country. We kept the promise made to the veterans' community in South Australia that they would have representation at the highest levels of government. Indeed, this representation will be even more important in the lead up to the celebrations of the Centenary of Anzac.

Our Veterans' Advisory Council is chaired by former governor Sir Eric Neal AC, CVO, a man of enormous experience who is admired and respected throughout the ex-service community. We are very pleased to have his service and commitment.

State president of the RSL, Mr Jock Statton OAM, serves as Deputy Chair. One of the strengths of the VAC is its diversity. The 16 members represent a mix of gender, service, former rank and conflict. This means that any recommendation made by the VAC carries the views of the vast majority of the veterans' community South Australia.

The most senior member is World War II veteran and former prisoner of war Mr Bill Schmitt AM, who is something of a living legend within our veterans' community. Other members have seen service in Korea, Malaya, Vietnam, Rwanda, Bougainville, East Timor, Iraq, Bosnia and Namibia. One member is still serving and is soon to be deployed to Afghanistan.

After three years of hard work on the VAC the following members are stepping aside: Mr Greg Blyth, who is now National President of TPI Association; Lieutenant Colonel Moose Dunlop OAM, RAR Association; Mrs Brenda Fergusson, War Widows Guild; Squadron Leader David Helman JP, RAAF Association; and Mr David Kerr JP, Naval Association of Australia.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank these members for their hard work and dedication in providing advice on behalf of the veterans' community. The new members of the Veterans' Advisory Council are:

Mr Michael von Berg MC, who is a Vietnam veteran, a former commando and member of the SAS. He was awarded the Military Cross for leadership and courage in action in Vietnam in 1966. Mr von Berg is the President of the Royal Australian Regiment Association.

Mrs Kath Harrison is the President of the War Widows Guild of Australia (SA Inc). She became a war widow in 1983 and is a trained welfare officer with the Department of Veterans' Affairs. She is also a member of Legacy Widows, the RAN Corvette Association (SA Branch), the Kensington Sub Branch of the RSL, Partners of Veterans Association (SA Branch); and the Repatriation General Hospital Consumer Council.

Mr Leon Eddy is the President of the Totally and Permanently Incapacitated Ex-Servicemen and Ex-Service Women's Association of Australia (SA Branch). He was a national serviceman who served with the 9^th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment in Vietnam. Mr Eddy joined TPISA in 2000 and became president in October 2011.

Ms Cheryl Fittock served for five years in the Women's Royal Australian Naval Service between 1971 and 1976. During that time she served with HMAS Cerberus, HMAS Harman and HMAS Coonawarra. Ms Fittock has been president of the WRANS sub section of the Naval Association of Australia since 2010 and is also a member of the RAN Communications Branch Association. She is a delegate to the Department of Veterans' Affairs, the Deputy Commissioner's Consultative Forum, and a member of the Two Wells RSL.

These new members bring a wealth of experience to the VAC. I was pleased to publicly congratulate the new members on their appointment and it was good to thank the retiring members for their service at a reception last week.