ANZAC Day Commemoration (Veterans' Advisory Council) Amendment Bill

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 30 March 2017.)

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (12:29): I am not the lead speaker. The member for Bragg will be our lead speaker; I am just going to add a small part to the debate. Can I say how much I have enjoyed my association with the many veterans in South Australia and working with the Minister for Veterans' Affairs.

Everybody in this house is very well aware of the need to ensure that we look after our veterans in South Australia. I thank the South Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs and particularly Mr Robert Manton for his unwavering support of both me and the veterans in South Australia. The government department may be quite small in number, but it is a very powerful department in that it does ensure that all veterans in South Australia are well and truly looked after. There is no better example of this than the results of the work that the Veterans Advisory Council does and the magnificent representation from people like Sir Eric Neal and the current members of the Veterans Advisory Council over the last few years.

We need to make sure that our veterans are remembered. Every ANZAC Day—and it is coming up very shortly—we always say, 'Lest we forget,' and we never forget in this place. We need to make sure that we do actually put our money where our mouth is, and that is important. I am very proud to say that I had a part to play in securing funding for the wonderful ANZAC walk on Kintore Avenue. If members have not been down there, they should go and have a look at it.

I invite every member of the public to go and have a look at that wonderful display of artwork that commemorates a whole range of campaigns that our veterans were involved in. I thought the artwork was computer generated, but it is all hand done on South Australian granite. When you look from a distance, it looks like a photograph, but when you get close up it is tiny hand-wrought chips in the granite. It is just one example of the way in which money is being spent in South Australia to commemorate our veterans.

The ANZAC Day Commemoration Fund is a significant amount of money, which was boosted to $350,000 during the centenary of ANZAC. We need to make sure that we spend that money as effectively and wisely as possible to commemorate the deeds of our ANZAC veterans in particular, and that has been working. This change to the legislation will ensure that the results from that spend are not only what we would desire but also what veterans would desire, because it is about the veterans and the families who cherish their memories.

I was very fortunate a few years ago to accompany the minister and other members of parliament, including you, Deputy Speaker, to the Gallipoli Peninsula for the centenary of Lone Pine. We were able to go to those places where so many brave Australian young men and women fought and died. It really brings home the fact that we need to make sure that we are doing them proud in remembering their sacrifice. To me, the task before them was completely unimaginable in order to fulfil their orders, to go into that terrain and to try to complete the campaign that the generals, sitting back in their offices, had given to these very brave people.

According to this legislation, the requirement to ensure that the fund is being spent wisely is now in the hands of the minister, but that will still be referred back to the Veterans Advisory Council. I think that is a reasonably safe way of making sure that, if there are any concerns or questions about decisions that are going to be made, they are then referred back for a second opinion, so to speak. I think all veterans can rest assured that the fund is going to be in good hands.

In 12 months' time, when we hopefully will have Liberal government in South Australia, I look forward to continuing the work that has been done by Veterans SA. Again, I would particularly like to thank Mr Rob Manton for his kind support over the number of years that he has been there not just of me and not just of the minister but for all veterans in South Australia.

Ms WORTLEY (Torrens) (12:34): The ANZAC Day Commemoration (Veterans' Advisory Council) Amendment Bill seeks to amend the ANZAC Day Commemoration Act 2005, to transfer the functions of the ANZAC Day Commemoration Council to the Veterans Advisory Council and the Minister for Veterans' Affairs following the 2014 review of boards and committees.

When Australian and New Zealand forces landed at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915, the young men would have had little idea of their fate. As the days rolled out—day into night into day—over the eight months, until the allied forces were evacuated at the end of 2015, 8,709 Australian and 2,701 New Zealand soldiers had died. While the Gallipoli campaign did not go to plan, the ANZAC legend was born and 25 April became the day on which Australians remember the sacrifice of those who died in the war.

Today, ANZAC Day has been broadened to include recognition of those who have lost their lives in all military and peacekeeping operations in which Australia has been involved. It has become a symbol of the sacrifice of all our service men and from all wars. To date, more than 9,000 South Australians have died as a result of Australia's involvement in military operations. Tuesday week is 25 April, ANZAC Day, a day on which we formally pay our respects to those people who sacrificed so much, a day of national remembrance.

When I attend ANZAC Day dawn services—as I have for most of my adult life—at the Gilles Plains and Hampstead RSL, at the Walkerville RSL, Prospect RSL, Adelaide and Port Elliott RSL, Darwin and Canberra, I remember those who lost their lives, those who were maimed and injured, and those who returned and had to live their lives with memories of the battlefields and what followed. I remember, too, their families, and the challenges they faced—in many cases, the loss of their loved ones or their loved one, as they knew them—the sacrifices made by those individuals and the sacrifices made by their families. The ANZAC memorial walk, which we now have, is a great tribute to all those who have served.

At the Gilles Plains and Hampstead RSL, which is in my electorate, is a framed photograph taken in October 1914. In this picture, there are so many young South Australian men who fought and died in that campaign and in other theatres of World War I. The photograph shows HMAT Ascanius, berthed at Outer Harbor, ready to depart Australian shores and carry the South Australian volunteers of the 10^th Battalion. These young men, climbing all over the ship for the best vantage points, and the people who came to wave them goodbye you can see in the photograph, had little idea of the horror they were to encounter on the battlefield, making this almost celebratory photograph even more poignant. The picture is an important part of the state's cultural and military history.

It is estimated that one in six Australian men who went to the Great War were killed and that as many as two in five were injured. The Gilles Plains and Hampstead RSL has veterans from the Korean and Vietnam wars and a transient membership of currently serving members who have been involved in campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq. While Australians recognise 25 April as a day of national remembrance, it is imperative that we educate future generations—not only our youth but also new citizens who are choosing to call Australia their home—on the service and sacrifice of our nation.

Following the passage of the ANZAC Day Commemoration (Veterans' Advisory Council) Amendment Bill 2017, the minister will revise the Veterans Advisory Council's terms of reference to include the additional functions of advising the Minister for Veterans' Affairs on the disbursement of the ANZAC Day Commemoration Fund and to carry out such other functions as may be assigned to the VAC by the minister. I am advised that the amendment to the ANZAC Day Commemoration Act will ensure that the work of the ANZAC Day Commemoration Council will continue with a broader representation of use through the Veterans Advisory Council.

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (12:39): I rise to speak on the ANZAC Day (Veterans' Advisory Council) Amendment Bill 2017 and indicate that I will be the lead speaker. We will be supporting the bill. There are a number of matters that I wish to raise. Firstly, members will recall that the Premier embarked on a program of disposing of boards and committees that he or his government felt were redundant or no longer appropriate in relation to the delivery of advice and services undertaken.

When this exercise was undertaken a few years ago, the ANZAC Day Commemoration Council, which we are about to abolish, was salvaged and put into the list of committees that were to have further consideration. The further consideration has occurred. It appears that the government has not asked the ANZAC Day Commemoration Council whether or not they want to continue, but they have clearly been briefed and told that they are going and that their services are no longer required, as I understand it, after 30 June this year.

I want to thank all those who have served on the ANZAC Day Commemoration Council for the work they have undertaken, for the advice they have given and for the consideration of the applications for grants, which has been quite a significant task. In relation to the abolition of this council, the options for the government are that the council's area of responsibility—namely the processing, the recommendations and the decisions on grants in respect of funds allocated—can be transferred to the Veterans Advisory Council, which continues to operate and has its advisory function, or, alternatively, it can be taken in-house, that is to Veterans SA, which is a small department that is accountable to a minister.

It seems that the government has chosen the latter option. I do not think that that is the best model, but we on this side of the house are reassured that the application of the funds, whilst after 30 June the sole determinant party will be the minister, at the very least, the Veterans Advisory Council will be required under statute to receive all grants, whether or not they are recommended so that they may at least have some input, if they wish, in advising the minister in respect of such claims. We are advised further that the Crown Solicitor has been consulted and that this second option, which has been taken up, is not only legitimate but avoids the statutory authority re-regulating for the purposes of the Veterans Advisory Council if it were to take up that responsibility.

In any event, the last of the four years of ANZAC Day commemorations in respect of conflicts and important events during World War I and the centenary of that conflict are drawing to a close. Obviously, the funding allocations to support events into 2018, which celebrate the cessation of that conflict 100 years ago, will be covered by grants now being considered on the recommendation and determination of the ANZAC Day Commemoration Council.

The four years of 100 years of recognition since the World War I conflict period will remain essentially under the determination of this committee. We are told that thereafter, for the purposes of the 2018-19 financial year, for example, applications will be received early next year (as they usually are, in January) and will close in April. They will then be determined by whoever is the Minister for Veterans' Affairs post the March 2018 election. For that financial year, we are advised that the funding allocated will revert back to its previous level of $100,000.

Obviously that reflects that the period of the centenary of World War I will have ceased, and I think everyone rightly acknowledges that this was an important period of four years on which considerable effort has been made and funds contributed by the Australian government and also state governments around the country to support the recognition of that centenary of World War I.

We on this side of the house may not have identified this as the preferred model but we are not going to be opposing this bill. The members will conclude their service; we thank them for it. I just mention one thing, and that is that the Veterans Advisory Council—this is the surviving council—has a representative on it from the RSL, as it should. In fact, the current President of the RSL is on that council. In the annual report of the ANZAC Day Commemoration Council 2015-16, there is a list of fund allocations that were made in that financial year, and unsurprisingly this council, which we are about to abolish, lists all of the different parties that received grants. They might be $500, they might be $50,000.

Quite predictably, we see listed there On Flanders Fields Project Consortium, the Paracombe Primary School and the Peterborough History Group. This is a snapshot of people and organisations which have joined in the centenary and have sought either a small or reasonably large lick of money to celebrate that centenary. I note that not only have the local branches of the RSL received moneys, as they should, but in addition to that, the RSL SA Branch received $10,000 for the ANZAC centenary commemorative event for remaining World War II veterans; $30,000 for the Centenary of Service DVD and regional tour celebrating 100 years of RSL; and $45,000 for a RSL Virtual War Memorial. Obviously, that is $85,000 just to that one organisation.

I also note incidentally that they did not even allocate the whole amount of money. There was about $15,500 left out of that fund which I assume will roll over to the next year's $100,000. In any event, I make this point: everyone knows the RSL is in financial difficulty. I will not go into the reasons why at the moment, but they are facing some severe financial circumstances, so much so that they have announced that they are going to sell up the property at Linden Park currently occupied by the Royal Australian Regiment. I am very concerned about this as the local member because they need the money and they need the asset—indeed, Madam Deputy Speaker, as you would know as a member and regular attendee—

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I'm their number one ticket holder, apparently.

Ms CHAPMAN: —at important events for that.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Right below The Queen.

Ms CHAPMAN: Yes, and it even has a beautiful picture adorning the walls. They have a lot of Labor Party members in my electorate whose portraits are hung, but we are very happy to hang yours.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Well, I'm an Independent now.

Ms CHAPMAN: So, now that we have an Independent—

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I'm an Independent now.

Ms CHAPMAN: —we are even happier. We might elevate you even further. I want to say that the minister has also supported a reconsideration by the RSL of the sale of that site. I thank him for making that contribution because it is almost impossible to believe that what is clearly a premier organisation for returned service men and women now in Australia, particularly here in our state which has branches across the state, would sell off an asset that is high performing, well used and very much loved and not look at other assets and land in the South-East or other property that they could use to remedy their financial plight.

But what I do not want to see—and I am putting the minister on notice here—is recommendations of large licks of money going to the RSL in future allocations that may be used to help them prop up their budget. I do not want a situation where we are going to be putting money into any entities that are clearly in financial difficulty. I am not going to go into any further detail about their plight, but they are in a difficult financial plight, and I will be looking at the annual reports of the Veterans Advisory Council and the Veterans SA annual accounts to ensure that those grant funds, approved in the future by minister after 2017, are properly applied. With that, we support the bill.

The Hon. T.R. KENYON (Newland) (12:50): I speak in favour of this bill, but mostly I would like to spend some time thanking those people who have served our country and who have come from our state. There is quite a number. In World War I, 34,959 South Australians served in that conflict, winning four Victoria Crosses and innumerable other medals and commendations for their bravery, and 54,660 South Australians enlisted during World War II.

It is appropriate to remember them, as well as those who are still alive, because almost all those who returned from both those wars have now passed on. We are getting down to our very last World War II veterans, and our Korean veterans are not far behind them, that war having occurred so quickly after World War II. It is appropriate that we remember them, those who have served and who continue to serve, not forgetting that at this very time there are still people overseas in the service of our country.

When I was minister for veterans' affairs, my view—and it continues to be my view—was that pretty much everyone who goes into an active combat zone comes back home damaged in some way, not necessarily physically and it is not necessarily apparent in the early stages. We ask a lot of them and they give us a lot. Our obligation to them on their return is twofold: firstly, for their health, both physical and mental, and, secondly, in remembrance of their service. This bill contributes to that second obligation. The bill seeks to ensure that this recognition of our brave men and women continues.

It is proposed that the Veterans Advisory Council assume the role of providing advice to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs for the disbursement of grant funds from the ANZAC Day Commemoration Fund enshrined within the act. I have always found it very valuable to have the view of service men and women and ex-service men and women when you are talking about memorials, worthy projects and things that can be most valuable to veterans and their families that the government could assist with.

The Veterans Advisory Council was always very generous with its time; it contributed in a long and meaningful way over my time and it continues to do so. I would particularly like to thank Sir Eric Neal for his chairing that council. He was chair over a very long period of time and made an excellent contribution, being able to corral a group of people and come up with useful and practical advice to ministers over a long period of time. I particularly valued that when I was there. There were also a number of veterans on that committee, too numerous to name, but I was always taken by the fact that while I was minister there were two 'Mooses' on the council. There was Moose Dunlop—

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Two moose.

The Hon. T.R. KENYON: Well, I am not sure whether 'moose' is correct, because we are not talking about animals. However, there was Moose Dunlop and Moose Bennick, and they were both very big men physically. They were wonderful contributors, but they also stood out for me simply because of their nickname of 'Moose'. I wondered how two people could have that same nickname, but apparently it is possible.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: It might mean something else in the Army.

The Hon. T.R. KENYON: Yes. They made a wonderful contribution, along with everyone else on the committee. Until recently, there were still veterans of World War II on the council, and now the council consists of representatives of Vietnam and subsequent conflicts. I always find that the veterans are very respectful of their heritage and of the legacy of World War I, World War II and Korean War veterans.

The bill proposes to rest the advisory responsibility in this august body, and that is fitting, given the many years of experience in combat the VAC's members bring. It is my view that the current Minister for Veterans' Affairs and any future ministers in this portfolio will be extremely well served by the advice the council will provide. I know that every other minister in this portfolio has been well served in the past by those who have made a contribution to this committee, as I have been. With that, I commend the bill to the house.

Mr BELL (Mount Gambier) (12:55): I rise to make some brief comments on the ANZAC Day Commemoration (Veterans' Advisory Council) Amendment Bill. Firstly, I congratulate the state government on the increase from $100,000 to $350,000. I always think that credit should be given where it is due, and in my opinion that money has seen an increase in the level of activity around ANZAC Day. Every year, I hear comments that more and more younger people are showing an interest in ANZAC Day and what it means.

People need to realise that Australia had only been a federal commonwealth for 13 years when World War I broke out, so it was a very young nation and part of the commonwealth. ANZAC Day came to signify so much more than Gallipoli and that battle. It has captured all those who had gone to war prior to that, as well as World War II and since that time. I give credit to RSL President, Bob Sandow, who every year seems to outdo himself and seems to have a bigger and better ANZAC Day remembrance, in terms of not only the service but also the community involvement and the involvement of schoolchildren.

The community really comes together on that day, and it is really pleasing to see. In supporting this, it is coming about because of the abolition of the council. There have been concerns that previously there was no ministerial role in the administration of the fund. I think it has been a good thing to have it totally independent of political interests and a positive that those decisions were made by an independent board, but I think that will be lost going forward. One question that needs to be answered is whether the final round of funding will be administered by the commemoration council and not by the minister, but we will wait until committee stage to seek that. With those brief remarks, I conclude my comments.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (12:59): I rise to support the ANZAC Day Commemoration (Veterans' Advisory Council) Amendment Bill 2017 and note that it was introduced in the House of Assembly by the Minister for Veterans' Affairs to amend the ANZAC Day Commemoration Act 2005. The bill proposes to change the arrangements under which funds are allocated to community organisations from the ANZAC Day Commemoration Fund and to give the minister a greater role in the administration of the fund and final approval power for those grants. I seek leave to continue my remarks.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.

Sitting suspended from 13:00 to 14:00.