ANZAC Day Commemoration Services

The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light) (17:30): Mr Speaker, firstly, can I extend my congratulations to you on your re-election and also your election as Speaker. Today, I rise to remember the sacrifices made by our country's service personnel in defence of our nation. On ANZAC Day, I attended a number of commemoration services across the Light electorate, including the Gawler dawn service.

Over the previous few years, I have been heartened to witness the growing number of people attending dawn services. It is estimated that approximately 5,000 people attended the Gawler dawn service this year. The service provides my community with a time to reflect on those sacrifices made by service personnel in all wars, including those who are currently serving overseas.

My office was represented at the Gawler, Smithfield, Freeling and Hillier Residential Park services. The local Gawler RSL sub-branch is active in supporting our community's veterans and honouring their commitment to Australia. On Sunday 22 April, the Gawler RSL held its annual march to commemorate ANZAC Day. The Gawler RSL's oldest member and World War II veteran Sid Ey led the march. Mr Ey is a sprightly 102 years old. The march replicates the march down Gawler's Murray Street, which occurred in 1918, celebrating the end of World War I.

The year 2018 signifies an important anniversary: 100 years since the signing of the World War I armistice at 11am on 11 November 1918. It was said that World War I was to be the war to end all wars but, as we know, that was sadly not the case. Australian service personnel have subsequently served in World War II, Malaya, Korea, Borneo, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Afghanistan, Iraq and in peacekeeping missions across Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific Islands.

This Sunday, I will be honoured to participate in the remembrance service to commemorate the 76^th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea. The Battle of the Coral Sea saw the Imperial Japanese Navy engage with the Royal Australian Navy and the United States Navy and Air Force. While there were heavy losses on both sides during the battle, it marked a turning point in the war in the Pacific and enabled the US forces to defend their position at Midway.

On the following Saturday 12 May, I have been invited to participate in the commemoration service of the 50^th anniversary of the Battle of the Fire Support Bases of Coral and Balmoral. The service will commemorate a series of actions fought between Australian and North Vietnamese soldiers. These battles marked the first occasion when Australian soldiers faced the regimental strength of the North Vietnamese Army. The Royal Australian Regiment, the 3^rd Cavalry Regiment and the 1^st Armoured Regiment were subsequently awarded the battle honour Coral-Balmoral for their efforts in repelling the enemy forces. I would like to pay tribute to the 25 Australian soldiers killed and 99 who were wounded because of these battles.

Australian service personnel had traditionally been welcomed home to Australia as heroes. Unfortunately, this was not the case for those who returned from Vietnam. Australian citizens blamed our soldiers who returned from Vietnam for what they perceived to be an unjust war, and the governments of the day provided inadequate medical treatment and support, which ultimately has led to very poor outcomes for the Australian veterans of the Vietnam War, which can still be felt today.

While there is still room for improvement, today, Australian veterans have a range of supports and services available to them provided by both government and non-government organisations. I was recently invited to attend the Road Home's annual ANZAC commemorative cocktail evening. The evening provided an opportunity to reflect on the efforts of those who have fought for Australia.

The Road Home raises awareness and funds to support health and wellbeing research and programs for our veterans for conditions such as post-traumatic stress. The cocktail evening provided an opportunity for the organisation to provide an insight into the research they are conducting and funding and also to provide details of their programs, such as the Road Home Wellbeing Program.

It is the mission of the wellbeing program to assist service individuals and their families to find pathways to be engaged in a meaningful social/peer group whilst accessing programs and pathways addressing their health and wellbeing needs. I would like to congratulate the Road Home program and other organisations on the work they do in supporting our veterans and their families. As the beneficiaries of the sacrifices of many men and women and their families, we need to recognise, respect and reflect on the hardships they endured.

The SPEAKER: Member for Hammond.