Page 5039 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 26 October 2010
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Those organisations all play a different role but there is also much that does actually unite them. What does unite them is the fact that they are all in support of the men and women that have served Australia and their families so very well. These organisations often run on a shoestring budget. They run, by and large, on the back of volunteers and they do so extremely well.
These people were extremely selfless in service and they are extremely selfless post service as well. I think that when you meet men and women from these organisations and you actually deal with them in a professional or in a social capacity, you realise just how much sense of duty they actually have. You realise just how committed they are to our community and how committed they are to seeing Australia continue to be a prosperous country that enjoys freedom.
A couple of organisations that I want to make particular mention of, as I have done before in this place, are some sub-branches of the RSL. They are based in my electorate of Ginninderra. They are the Belconnen sub-branch, which is ably led by its president, Air Vice Marshal Mac Weller AM, and secretary, Mr Dennis Wilkes. I also mention the Gungahlin sub-branch, which is to the north of my electorate, including the suburb of Nicholls, of course. That is ably led by its president, Mrs Christine Coulthard OAM, with the secretary being Rod Bennett. Both of those sub-branches are particularly active, I am very well aware, and they do some superb work.
I would also like to put on the record my commendation of the work done by the Vietnam Veterans Association and Vietnam Veterans Federation ACT. They have got their headquarters in Page. They do some superb work with a group of service men and women that were so very poorly treated by this country for such a long time.
I think that what so many Vietnam veterans had to endure post-service is a national disgrace. I am glad that successive Australian governments have sought to rectify this. There is, of course, still a lot of damage that has been done as a result of that treatment but I am glad that organisations such as the Vietnam veterans and veterans federation are able to provide that much necessary support to the veterans and to their families. They have got their headquarters in Page in the ACT in my electorate of Ginninderra. They do some fantastic work out of that office.
It is important to note that the role of a serviceman or a servicewoman is not one that people enter lightly. It is one that truly is a life changing experience. I certainly did see that in my time working at the RSL. It is no surprise that after service, after retirement, that same commitment to serving our country remains. The role that retired personnel play across our community is really quite amazing. They certainly do punch above their weight. I would think that they are very well represented—in fact, probably over-represented—in the many charities and community groups that we have across Canberra, whether it be Rotary, Lions, Apex or church communities.
Regardless of the community group, it is so often the case that it is veterans who have that underlying commitment to service and commitment to making Australia a better place. They actually carry out very prominent roles in these organisations. Again, it is
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