Garden of Remembrance, Port Lincoln RSL

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. S.L. Game:

That this council—

1. Recognises the Garden of Remembrance at the Port Lincoln RSL as a deeply significant site for the local community, providing a space for reflection, remembrance, education and connection for veterans and their families;

2. Commends the tireless efforts of the Port Lincoln RSL, its volunteers and the local veteran community in maintaining and preserving this important site;

3. Affirms the broader importance of honouring and supporting veterans across South Australia, not only through memorials but also by addressing the challenges they face post-service, including mental health and social reintegration; and

4. Calls for continued investment in initiatives that support veterans and their families, ensuring they receive the recognition, care and services they deserve.

(Continued from 5 March 2025.)

The Hon. B.R. HOOD (16:57): I rise to speak to the motion brought to the chamber by the Hon. Sarah Game MLC in support of the Garden of Remembrance maintained by the hardworking volunteers of the Port Lincoln RSL. The Garden of Remembrance stands as a living testament to the valour and sacrifice of those who have served our country.

The RSL was founded in 1916 to provide comradeship and to support Australian veterans and their families. Since 1930, the Garden of Remembrance has been wholly owned and maintained by the Port Lincoln RSL, the only branch in South Australia with its own cemetery. The Garden of Remembrance is a memorial where Port Lincoln locals can pause and reflect on the sacrifices made by members of their community who served their country. This memorial garden pays tribute to over 550 service men and women veterans of several conflicts, including the Boer War, World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

Remembering and respecting the fallen is important for many reasons. It is fitting to pay respect to those who are willing to offer up the ultimate sacrifice and to serve their nation in its greatest hour of need. The garden offers a peaceful space where South Australia's war history is honoured and retained in living memory as an ongoing source of education and understanding for everyone in the community. Such memorials exist not to glorify war but to remember the lasting impact they have on communities like Port Lincoln and to pay respect to those who served.

This place is made possible by the dedication of the Port Lincoln RSL, a network of tireless volunteers and local veterans who work incredibly hard to maintain this site. I would like to take this opportunity to commend the tireless efforts of the Port Lincoln RSL and the local veteran community for the outstanding work they do in maintaining this significant memorial. These volunteers spend countless hours ensuring that the garden reflects the respect and care that our veterans deserve. Whether it is organising memorial events, tending to the grounds, or simply being there to support visitors their commitment ensures that the legacy of service and sacrifice is never forgotten, and is strongly held in the memory of future generations.

We must also remember that honouring our veterans extends far beyond the monuments and memorials dedicated to their service and their memory. These sites not only provide an opportunity to remember but also serve as a reminder of the ongoing challenges veterans face after their service. Across South Australia we know that many veterans face significant obstacles in reintegrating into life after their service ends, and the adjustment to life after service often includes physical and mental health challenges and the need for social support.

It is essential that these service personnel are honoured in actions as well as words and memorials. It is a long-held belief of the opposition that our veterans deserve continued investment and support for them and their families. We must ensure that they receive the recognition, the care and the services they deserve. These investments must go beyond memorials and ceremonies. They must include tangible, practical solutions that address the real and often difficult issues our veterans face.

We must continue to build a system that serves those who so selflessly served us. On that note, the opposition commends and supports the motion.

The Hon. T.T. NGO (17:00): I rise today to speak on behalf of the Labor Malinauskas government in support of this motion. We would like to thank the honourable member for recognising the Garden of Remembrance at the Port Lincoln RSL. This site commemorates our service men and women veterans of several conflicts including the Boer War, World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam. It is the final resting place of more than 550 veterans and their spouses, and is one of only four cemeteries owned and maintained by RSL sub-branches in Australia.

In 2008, the South Australian government was the first state jurisdiction to recognise the importance of a state-based veterans affairs portfolio, and established Veterans SA as a result. As the lead advocates across the South Australian government on matters relating to veterans and their families, Veterans SA works with ex-service organisations and civic groups that provide support to members of the community when and where it is needed most. The agency also shares information about services, programs and opportunities across South Australia that are available to Australian Defence Force service men and women and their families. This work has a focus on post-service support.

Veterans SA assists with connections to health and employment services, which helps members make a positive and successful transition to civilian life. Veterans SA also works with the veteran community to ensure commemoration activities are supported, remembered and preserved for all South Australians. They also administer 14 grants each year on behalf of the South Australian government.

The Port Lincoln RSL approached Veterans SA in April 2024 to inquire about support, and I take this opportunity to congratulate them on successfully winning a $14,365 grant for the Railway Place of Old project from the ANZAC Day Commemoration Fund. The South Australian government has also provided a three-year grant totalling $75,000 which will support the Port Lincoln RSL to maintain and plan additions to the Garden of Remembrance. This grant commenced in the 2024 financial year and continues until 2026, providing $25,000 in each of the three years.

I was told that the veterans' affairs minister, the Hon. Joe Szakacs, visited the Port Lincoln RSL in February 2025 and toured the Garden of Remembrance. At the time, Minister Szakacs was provided with a progress update which confirmed that the murals for the main hall and tranche 1 developments at the garden are on track to be completed by ANZAC Day.

Memorials such as this are also a place of education, connection and healing where veterans and local communities can gather. The ongoing efforts of the Port Lincoln RSL, its volunteers and the local veteran community in preserving this site are truly commendable and reflect the deep respect and gratitude we owe to those who have served our nation. Honouring our veterans goes beyond maintaining memorials. This motion is a meaningful step towards reaffirming our commitment to those who have served, and rightfully affirms the broader responsibility we all share in supporting past, present and future veterans when they transition back to civilian life.

On that note, the Labor Malinauskas government is proud to support this project and many others like it around the state. We thank the honourable member once again for her motion, and we will continue to work with members of this parliament to honour those who have sacrificed so much for us.

The Hon. J.S. LEE (17:06): I rise today in strong support of the motion moved by the Hon. Sarah Game, recognising the importance and deep significance of the Garden of Remembrance at the Port Lincoln RSL, both for veterans and for our broader community. I also want to take this opportunity to thank the honourable member for co-hosting the 2025 Parliamentary Friends of Veterans Forum with the minister and shadow minister for veterans' affairs yesterday, which I had the pleasure and honour to attend.

Established in 1916, the Returned and Services League, better known as the RSL, has long been a vital institution in Australian society, advocating tirelessly for the rights, welfare and recognition of those who have served our country in conflicts and peacekeeping operations. Today, nearly 48,000 South Australians proudly call themselves veterans, each bearing their own unique stories of courage, sacrifice and service.

The Garden of Remembrance at the Port Lincoln RSL holds special significance within this proud tradition. It is much more than a memorial; it is a sacred space dedicated to reflection, remembrance, education, and connection. Over 550 veterans and their spouses rest there, commemorated for their service in conflicts from the Boer War through both World Wars, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and beyond. The cemetery stands as one of only four in Australia fully owned and maintained by an RSL sub-branch.

I want to acknowledge the President of the RSL Port Lincoln Branch, Mr Gary Clough, and his team of hardworking, resilient volunteers and their families who ensure that the Garden of Remembrance serves effectively as a memorial—a place to reflect, to honour and to heal. Yet, despite its importance, this treasured site faces an ongoing struggle. The dedicated volunteers of the Port Lincoln RSL bear the heavy responsibility of maintaining the garden largely on their own. They work tirelessly, demonstrating great resilience and creativity, often relying heavily on community fundraising and social initiatives such as a recent GoFundMe campaign to meet even the most basic maintenance needs.

While their efforts are commendable and deeply inspiring, the question must be asked: why should these volunteers have to struggle so profoundly to fulfil what is undeniably a collective social responsibility? The maintenance of the Garden of Remembrance is not merely about preserving history or beautifying a landscape; it is about honouring the legacy of those who sacrificed so much for our freedom. It is about educating future generations on the true cost of war and peace, ensuring the stories of sacrifice, courage and resilience are never forgotten—but honouring our veterans extends beyond memorials alone. We must also address the significant challenges veterans face when they transition from military service to civilian life.

Issues such as mental health, employment barriers, social isolation and difficulties adapting back into everyday life demand serious, sustained attention and investment. It is crucial that we as a parliament, as a society, actively invest in initiatives and support services that facilitate meaningful integration of veterans into civilian life. We have a moral obligation to help them continue making valuable contributions to our community. Properly funding these initiatives not only honours their past service but actively supports their future, allowing veterans to continue serving society in new and fulfilling ways.

In supporting this motion, let us commit not just to the memory of those who have served but to meaningful, practical and ongoing support for veterans, their families and those who dedicate themselves to maintaining such important places as the Garden of Remembrance in Port Lincoln. With those remarks, I fully support the honourable member's motion.

The Hon. S.L. GAME (17:10): Thank you to the members who have contributed to the motion: the Hon. Ben Hood, the Hon. Tung Ngo and the Hon. Jing Lee. I rise to sum up the motion that I introduced to the chamber on Wednesday 5 March. This motion stresses the importance of preserving sites of remembrance and strengthening our commitment to the wellbeing of our veterans.

Memorials like the Garden of Remembrance are more than just places of tribute; they are symbols of gratitude, education and reflection. They ensure the stories of our service men and women are passed down to future generations and remind us of the sacrifices made to protect our freedoms. Preserving these sites is not just about maintaining physical spaces; it is about demonstrating our ongoing respect for those who served. But remembrance alone is not enough. If we are truly committed to honouring our veterans, we must do more to address the challenges they continue to face.

Far too many veterans struggle with mental health issues, social reintegration and financial insecurity after their service ends. The mental health statistics are deeply concerning. According to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, an average of 78 serving or ex-serving ADF members die by suicide each year, equivalent to three lives lost every fortnight. Ex-serving males are 42 per cent more likely to die by suicide than the broader male population, with those in combat roles facing even greater risk. For ex-serving females, the situation is even worse. They are 2.1 times more likely to die by suicide than their civilian counterparts.

These figures demand urgent action. Our responsibility to veterans does not end when their service does. It continues in the years and decades that follow. We must improve mental health support, expand reintegration services and provide greater resources to ensure no veteran feels forgotten or abandoned. This motion is a step in the right direction, but it cannot be the last. As we preserve sites of remembrance, we must also invest in the wellbeing of those these memorials honour. I commend the motion to the council.

Motion carried.