Mr EDWARDS (3:51 PM) —My question is to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs. Can the minister advise why she refuses to recognise the claim from the Ubon veterans for the Vietnam Logistics and Support Medal? Why does she refuse to grant approval for the Long Tan veterans to wear their Vietnamese bravery awards? Why do the veterans of Gading 5 still await their awards? Why do 40,000 national servicemen still await the processing of their applications for their medals, despite applying in some cases more than 12 months ago? Can the minister also confirm that she received the Centenary Medal? For what service was this medal awarded to her and why is she in receipt of such a medal when thousands of deserving veterans are yet to receive their just recognition?

Mrs VALE (Minister for Veterans' Affairs) —I thank the honourable member for his question. First of all, I would like to address the Ubon medal question. There was a letter to the editor in the Australian earlier this week. I table that letter, because it covers the fact that my refusal to recognise the Ubon service with the Vietnam Logistics and Support Medal was not something I just decided myself. This has been looked at by two comprehensive reviews. In 1993-94, there was a committee of inquiry into defence and defence related awards by General Peter Gration. General Peter Gration, as I am sure the honourable member for Cowan is aware, is a former Chief of the Australian Defence Force. In 1999 there was a review of service entitlement anomalies in respect of South-East Asian service between 1955 and 1975. This was chaired by Major-General the Hon. Bob Mohr, who was a former justice of the Supreme Court of South Australia. The issue was also considered more recently, in 2002, by the review into veterans' entitlements which was chaired by the Hon. John Clarke, who is a Supreme Court justice of New South Wales and a justice of the Court of Appeal. More importantly, on that committee was Air Marshal Douglas Riding, who is a former Vice Chief of the Australian Defence Force and himself a senior RAAF executive officer.

This medal has not been awarded to the people in Ubon because they did not meet the criteria that are required by the legislation to award this medal. They were never in Vietnam. They were never in an operational area. That has been made very clear. It is a matter of fact.

The SPEAKER —Melbourne for Melbourne!

Mrs VALE —I also make the point, and I make it with great respect, that neither this government nor any other government has ever given medals on demand. They have actually had to be earned.

The SPEAKER —The member for Melbourne is warned!

Mrs VALE —One of the reasons we do not give medals on demand—

The SPEAKER —The member for Ballarat is warned!

Mrs VALE —is that it demeans the value of the contribution and the sacrifice of all those Australians who have earned medals and done it the hard way—who have been there, given service, given up their lives, in many cases, and given up their youth. In Vietnam, we lost 520 Australian service men and women. There are still six Australian heroes who are missing in action. There are many thousands of Australians who did service in Vietnam and who are still suffering from the results of that service—and we all know many of them, because many of them are in our electorates. They are TPIs or they have psychiatric problems because of their service. If we gave medals to people just because they demanded it, it would devalue and demean the service of those outstanding veterans. With great respect, I say that this government have never ever given medals on demand and we never will. I would like to table that letter.

Further, I think the honourable member raised the issue of the medals in the Strait of Malacca. We have searched our records and we would be very grateful for some further advice. The member said he has given me the information; I am unaware that it has been received.

Also, the Long Tan medal was a medal that, purportedly, that particular South Vietnam government at the time wanted to give. We cannot award a Long Tan medal. It is not our medal. It was a medal that came from South Vietnam. I also understand that there were protocols required for that medal to be given, which was an approach to the government for approval to grant the medal. The government of the day never approached our government. That particular South Vietnamese government never approached our government to award that medal. That is a matter of fact, and it is a matter of fact on the face of the record. It is not a medal that this government can award.

Mr Swan —What about the national service backlog?

Mrs VALE —Mr Speaker, I did address the issue of the national service medal for the honourable member the last time I answered this question. I understand that there was a backlog of 25,000 of those national service medals. I also understand from the department that that backlog will be cleared by Anzac Day next year so those national servicemen will have their medals to wear on Anzac Day.