Ms LANDRY (Capricornia—Deputy Nationals Whip) (11:11): I second the motion. In the past year, many significant battles in Australian history have been recognised, such as the Centenary of Anzac, 100 years since the battle of Pozieres, in France, and many others. Recently, it was my privilege, and indeed an honour, to be invited to Cockscomb Veterans Bush Retreat at Cawarral, near Yeppoon, to mark two equally important occasions: Vietnam Veterans Day and the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan. In 1987, the then Prime Minister, Bob Hawke, declared Long Tan Day, on August 18, as Vietnam Veterans Day. However he did not have that date gazetted as a military historic date. Fifty years on, since the battle of Long Tan, it is now time the Commonwealth government got on with the job of officially gazetting the date. I have approached the Minister for Veteran's Affairs and I will continue to maintain my support of our Vietnam veterans, pushing at their request for the gazetting of this day. Already, I have been in contact with many national Vietnam veterans organisations seeking their input into an official day to be gazetted. I will continue to keep the House informed of my progress. And I will continue to stay in touch with the minister to provide him with the views of those I speak with. Meanwhile, to those who specifically served their country in the controversial Vietnam War, your country owes you a thankyou. So, as a federal member of the Australian Parliament, I turn to you with dignity and say to each and every Vietnam Vet: thank you. Thank you for doing your job as armed servicemen and women. Thank you for risking your lives. Thank you for looking out for your mates on the battlefield and thank you for being here with us today. Vietnam was the longest war Australia has participated in—from 1962 to 1973—and the battle of Long Tan was one of the historic battles that epitomises the courage and grit that Aussie diggers are made of. Fifty years ago in the Long Tan rubber plantation about 105 Aussies and a few New Zealand blokes began to engage with the enemy, which outnumbered them by somewhere between 1,500 to 2,500 Viet Cong soldiers. They battled it out until they were finally joined by reinforcements. Fifty years on we salute and commemorate their bravery. As I mentioned earlier, I was fortunate enough to attend a ceremony at Cockscomb, near Cawarral, to mark 50 years since Long Tan. It was put on with the help of $2,500 federal government grant. The grant was applied for under the Capricornia and Rockhampton region RSL sub-branch on behalf of B Company, 2RAR, which served in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968. All wars carry great trauma, but the soldiers who served in Vietnam under Australian government policy of the 1960s and 1970s arguably had one of the greatest traumas inflicted upon them on their return home. History well shows that Vietnam veterans were mistreated, abused and even spat upon when they arrived back in Australia. Again, I say to our Vietnam veterans, it was not your fault that the government of your day ordered you to Vietnam, it was not your fault that the Australian policy of the day was to align with the United States presence in Vietnam and it was not your fault that you experienced atrocities that will haunt you for the rest of your lives. The way you were mistreated on your return home should go down as one of the most disgraceful acts by Australian citizens against fellow citizens in our modern history, and I am sorry that you experienced this adversity and hurt. Finally, on the 50th anniversary to mark Long Tan, let us reflect on those who did not make it back or who have since passed away. May they rest in peace. Lest we forget.