LEST WE FORGET

Thursday 15^th November 2007

Rev Fred Nile, Leader of the Christian Democratic Party, has supported the War Memorial Legislation Amendment (Increased Penalties) Bill 2007, giving the following speech in the NSW Legislative Council last night.

“The Christian Democratic Party supports the War Memorial Legislation Amendment (Increased Penalties) Bill 2007. As other members have stated during this debate, war memorials throughout our State and nation have a very important place in the lives of families and communities in Australia. As people travel around Australia, they will find in every town and suburb war memorials taking different shapes and forms, often depicted as the lone soldier still on guard duty, and reminding the people in our community of the sacrifice and death of many Australian service men and women in past wars. War memorial sites commemorate those who died in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam and in more recent actions involving Australian soldiers.

The main purpose of the legislation is prevention. It is most important that we prevent attacks on war memorials that cause such offence to Australian people, Australian families and especially those who have lost loved ones in previous conflicts. Honourable members have already mentioned some of the places where memorials have been damaged. The incident at Bathurst triggered this legislation. Teenage girls graffitied the Bathurst War Memorial just before Anzac Day and caused a great deal of offence to war veterans in the community. The attacks on the War Memorial in Hyde Park, on the Cenotaph in Martin Place and on war memorials in many country centres, such as Albury and other country towns, constant attacks on the Memorial Walkway at Concord, and desecration of the Australian flag as well as recent attacks on the Australian flag point to the need for prevention and the need to educate our schoolchildren.

As the Hon. Charlie Lynn mentioned earlier, young people must be taught about the importance and the background of Australia's involvement in various conflicts and wars over many years. I believe that those who engage in graffiti and vandalism have no knowledge of the significance of war memorials. They are completely ignorant of the importance of war memorials and I wonder why that is the case. The young man who burnt the Australian flag at the RSL club at Brighton Le Sands gave the excuse that he had no idea of the importance or significance of the flag. But he should have known, whether he is a person born in Australia or overseas. It is very important for those who come to our country to have appropriate education about war memorials. The Christian Democratic Party supports the new citizenship tests and its emphasis on Australian values because, hopefully, that will assist in bringing a better understanding of the importance of the Australian flag and the place that war memorials have in our nation's life.

The Christian Democratic Party agrees in principle with the amendments moved by the Hon. Charlie Lynn to double the penalties provided in the bill. I recognise that the Government's bill provides for doubles the current penalties, but the amendments will take the penalties to the same level as penalties applying to the desecration of Aboriginal sacred sites. The penalties for desecrating war memorials should at least be on the same level as penalties for desecrating Aboriginal sites, but it is very important also to have an education program.

I note that only a few weeks ago a special anniversary service was held to commemorate the Battle of Bathsheba. It was held opposite the Mitchell Library where the Governor unveiled a plaque in memory of Australian soldiers who died during a battle that had such a major impact on the whole outcome of World War I in the Middle East. The plaque was dedicated on the anniversary of the Battle of Beersheba. More than 100 men and women celebrated the event by re-enacting that very historical and successful charge.

As a member of the RSL and someone who served in the Army Reserve for 22 years, I was very pleased to have had the privilege of assisting the Governor in dedicating the plaque at that event. I take this opportunity to remember the recent death of Major General Paul Cullen, one of our very famous World War II soldiers and the commanding officer of the Australian Imperial Force battalion that arrived just in time to relieve militia units that had been holding back the Japanese advance. That intervention led to the final defeat of Japanese units.

The Christian Democratic Party supports this legislation that will double the maximum penalty for a person who wilfully damages or defaces any protected place and doubles the maximum penalty for someone who commits any nuisance, offensive or indecent act on any war memorial. It also provides for bylaws that may create an offence involving the Anzac Memorial building that is punishable by penalties not exceeding 40 penalty units, and other aspects of the legislation. The Christian Democratic Party is very pleased to support the bill and the proposed amendments.