Virtual War Memorial

The Hon. T.T. NGO (12:38): I move:

That this council—

1. Congratulates the Virtual War Memorial on the 10th Anniversary for establishing the online commemorative collection of personal experiences that honour all those who served our nation in times of conflict, from the Boer War through to Afghanistan;

2. Recognises that this is a commemorative collection of human experiences in honour of all those who lost their lives as a result of their service and all those who returned forever changed by their experiences; and

3. Commends the work of staff, volunteers and the many people who have and will continue to contribute to the Virtual War Memorial database, which is an everlasting reminder of all our service men and women, ensuring their courage and sacrifices will never be forgotten.

This year marks the 10^th anniversary of the launch of Australia's Virtual War Memorial, and I was privileged to attend the fundraising lunch at the Convention Centre to mark the occasion. Also sharing a table with me at the lunch was the Hon. Sarah Game MLC and the Hon. Ben Hood MLC.

The Virtual War Memorial is a digital platform where families and communities can contribute information, photographs, and personal stories about the men and women who served in battles from the Boer War through to the world's present-day conflicts. This initiative was an idea first brought to life in 2008 by South Australia's Colonel Steve Larkins OAM, the former Deputy State President of the Returned Services League, who realised the importance of preserving and sharing stories of Australian service men and women. Mr Larkins' efforts to establish the Virtual War Memorial, combined with his ongoing involvement in veterans' support, earned him the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2019.

The current patron of the Virtual War Memorial is Sir Peter John Cosgrove, the 26^th Governor-General of Australia, who was also a senior officer in the Australian Army, reaching the rank of major general. Both these men share an admirable dedication to this country, to military service and to community engagement. They also know that records of personal stories about our service men and women play a significant role in society.

Platoon commander Michael Von Berg's video message on the Virtual War Memorial website says, and I quote:

We were all young, we were all inexperienced, we all had to learn, we couldn't have done it without that close bond and relationship, even now 50 years later it is still unbroken…the stories that you are able to record on the Virtual War Memorial is good for the nation, but they are also good for the soul.

Our Virtual War Memorial is a place to share stories. Wherever you are in the world, you can reach into the database and learn about the consequences of war and the physical and emotional toll of service.

The memorials located in many places throughout Australia will have names on a plaque or a piece of stone. These names will often be followed by a barcode or a QR code that we can now scan with our phones. This allows us to connect to the Virtual War Memorial website and get to know the people behind those names. Family members and others can become a subscriber and add personal information to the individual stories of our service men and women on the memorial website.

These valuable narratives are about our family heroes and our nation's history, allowing us to truly grasp the impact of war in an easy interactive way. The Virtual War Memorial website functions in a similar way to the Wikipedia site. Members of the public can contribute content and help to build this community history. However, these contributions are moderated for accuracy and clarity. The contributors, researchers, moderators and coordinators are all volunteers, and for those interested in volunteering, an application form can be downloaded from the website.

The Virtual War Memorial website also provides valuable information and resources for teachers and students, providing a range of information about the many conflicts throughout history, as well as facts relating to different types of service and the branches and divisions within each service. This digital database recognises the bravery and endurance of our service men and women and the vital role they played in preserving freedoms and security.

Digital platforms of commemoration like this help to establish collective values and gratitude with civilians and communities around the world. Australia's Virtual War Memorial is a powerful reminder about the cost of war, highlighting the importance of seeking peaceful solutions and pursuing diplomacy.

One special element of the Virtual War Memorial is that it acknowledges those service men and women who made it home, as well as those who lost their lives. This will allow us to continue to honour everyone's sacrifices, promote healing, and ensure the lessons of the past continue to highlight the importance of shaping a peaceful future.

In closing, I want to commend the current chair, Mr Peter Williams, and CEO, Ms Sharyn Roberts, who began work on the memorial 10 years ago with Peter. Their shared dedication and the CEO's knowledge of military history facilitated the creation of the war memorial. I had the pleasure of chatting to Peter at the fundraiser lunch I attended, and he told me:

I am very proud that we have been able to create a unique memorial of more than 1.5 million names honouring all those who served the country and who put themselves in harm's way. It is the passion to tell stories of the ordinary men and women who served the nation that was the driving force to succeed.

Two significant volunteers I want to commend are the principal historian, Robert 'Dogs' Kearney OAM, whose expertise and significant voluntary service contributed to thousands of stories on service personnel, conflicts and memorials, and Mr Steve Larkins, whom I mentioned earlier. A very special thankyou to the many donors, benefactors, past and present chairs and board members of this charity and to each and every person who has contributed in some way to this digital memorial.

It is because of your contributions that the Virtual War Memorial continues to encourage conversations and help all generations to understand the hardships endured in times of war. With that, I hope members of this chamber give this motion their support.

The Hon. S.L. GAME (12:46): I rise briefly to support the motion. I want to join the honourable member in congratulations on the 10-year anniversary of the Virtual War Memorial. This valuable commemorative collection honours all those who served our nation in times of conflict. It is vital that we continue to acknowledge and remember the sacrifice of the men and women who have served our country, and I commend the work of staff and volunteers who have given their time to maintain the Virtual War Memorial. This honourable work ensures that the lives of those who have served will never be forgotten. Congratulations to those involved in establishing and maintaining this memorial over the last 10 years. May your valuable work continue to bring honour to all those who have served our nation.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. B.R. Hood.