Vietnam Veteran’s Day

I rise in support of this motion, and in doing so I want to honour the service and sacrifice of those Australians who served in Vietnam, as well as their families and the communities that have carried this history forward with dignity and care. 

This past weekend, I had the privilege of attending the commemorative service at the Payneham RSL Sub-Branch on Vietnam Veterans Day. Standing alongside veterans, their families, current serving military personnel, and the proud young cadets who formed the catafalque party, and members of our community, I was struck by the quiet strength with which these men and women continue to carry their experiences. Speaking with them afterwards, I could see in them the stoic resilience, humour, and humility that so often characterise those who have served. For many, the memories are still vivid and painful, yet they continue to share their stories so that others may understand and remember. 

Vietnam Veterans Day, observed on 18 August, is marked on the anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan – a moment etched into our military history. It is a day when we acknowledge the almost 60,000 Australians who served over a ten-year involvement in Vietnam. It is also a day when we remember the 523 Australians who never returned home, and the more than 2,300 who were wounded. 

The Vietnam War remains one of the most complex chapters in Australia’s military story. Between 1962 and 1975, around 60,000 Australians served – approximately 42,000 in the Army, over 3,300 in the Navy, and 4,400 in the Air Force. Each of them carried the weight of a conflict fought far from home, and many returned to a country that did not, at the time, adequately recognise their service. Today, we have a duty to ensure their contribution is not forgotten. 

Here in South Australia, the connections to that service run deep. Many local men and women deployed to Vietnam. And today we are home to a strong and proud Vietnamese community – people who fled the conflict and built new lives here. They have enriched our cultural and economic life, and their presence is a reminder that the legacy of the war is measured not only in service and sacrifice, but also in lives rebuilt and communities strengthened. 

This humanitarian aspect was perhaps most vividly illustrated in Operation Babylift in April 1975, when orphaned and at-risk Vietnamese children were evacuated as Saigon fell. Among those children were some who would grow up here in South Australia, their lives forever linked with both Vietnam and Australia. 

Last year, with my family I travelled to Vietnam as a tourist. While there, my husband and I visited the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City, where we were both deeply moved by the exhibits. In particular, the images and testimonies showing the harrowing effects of the conflict on innocent civilians were profoundly confronting. It was a sobering reminder that the cost of war extends far beyond the battlefield, and that we must never forget the lessons of war – to value peace, to protect the vulnerable, and to commit ourselves to preventing such suffering now and in the future. 

Vietnam Veterans Day is therefore not only a moment to reflect on courage, endurance and sacrifice in war, but also on the humanitarian legacies of the conflict. 

We are fortunate in South Australia to have people and places dedicated to ensuring these stories live on. Bill Denny AM BM has been instrumental in this regard, as a long-standing member of the Veterans’ Advisory Council, founder of the Vietnam War Memorial, and co-chair of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander War Memorial Fundraising Committee. His work has enriched our collective remembrance, giving local communities spaces to reflect and honour. 

A particularly significant example of remembrance is the Vietnam War Memorial Walk in Edithburgh, which was officially opened this year on 18 August. This remarkable project stretches along the Walk the Yorke trail between Edithburgh and Coobowie. It features 29 detailed laser-cut signs and numerous bench seats, with every Australian unit that served in Vietnam represented. This is local vision made real by Roger Hogben and John Edwards, whose determination has created something of both local and national significance. The South Australian Government proudly contributed more than $15,000 in grant funding to support its completion. 

It is projects such as this that ensure remembrance is not an abstract idea, but something tangible – a place where schoolchildren, families, and future generations can learn and reflect. 

When I think of Vietnam Veterans Day, I think of the men and women I meet each year at services like Payneham RSL – people who answered the call of their country, who served with bravery and endurance, and who continue to serve by keeping memory alive. I think also of the Vietnamese Australians in our community who carry stories of displacement, resilience, and renewal. And I think of the families – the wives, husbands, children, and parents – who bore the burden of separation, loss, and return. 

This motion allows us to say, unequivocally, that this House acknowledges and respects that service. We remember the 523 Australians who did not come home. We pay tribute to the tens of thousands who did, many carrying wounds both visible and invisible. And we give thanks for the lives that have been rebuilt, and the communities that continue to honour and remember. 

On Vietnam Veterans Day, and on every day that we encounter these men and women in our communities, we owe them more than gratitude – we owe them remembrance, respect, and the assurance that their service will never be forgotten.