E&OE.................................................................................................
To Mr Chairman, to Mr Jack Lockett; to your excellency the Ambassador
of France; to my colleague, Tim Fischer the Deputy Prime Minister;
to Bruce Reid the Member of Bendigo; to the Mayor of Bendigo, ladies
and gentlemen.
I have had many honours and privileges to come my way as Prime
Minister but none exceeds the very special privilege of responding
on behalf of Australia's oldest returned serviceman. This wonderful
man, this priceless national treasure, this man who embodies so
much of what we think good and fine and noble about our country:
he has received from the Ambassador, France's highest decoration.
It is a fitting acknowledgment of the incredible contribution made
by our country to the defence of France in the Great War.
With a male population of only a little over 2.5 million, 416,000-odd
Australians volunteered in WWI. More Australian blood has been spilt
defending the soil of France than in any other part of the world.
And the contribution made by Australians to the defence of France
and to the defence of freedom was absolutely incalculable.
Today we honour a man who represents so much of what is the true
Australian spirit. He represents courage. He represents adventure.
He represents a willingness to share adversity, to put his life
on the line, to risk the ultimate sacrifice. He is a wonderful and
priceless link with a very important part of our history.
And it's a wonderful opportunity to honour those brave Australians
of long ago who risked so much to go to the other side of the world
to defend our way of life. And also through him to honour those
other hundreds of thousands of Australians in WWII and in Korea
and Malaysia and in Vietnam who did exactly the same thing. Their
willingness to put their lives on the line, their willingness to
sacrifice all in the defence of our way of life is something that
always has me standing in awe.
Because we do have a way of life in this country that is precious
and very special. It is the envy of the world, but if it hadn't
been for the likes of Jack we wouldn't be able to enjoy it.
And everyday we should count the blessings that people like Jack
represent.
So to you on behalf of a very grateful, a very humble and a very
proud and a very affectionate nation, can I say how much we hold
you in our esteem, how deep is the emotion that so many of us feel
for what you represent about the Australian way of life and what
you have done to make this a country which everyone in this room
loves, whatever may be our views on other issues. You are a priceless
national asset and treasure. Long may you have happiness and health
in the bosom of your family and your friends. And on behalf of a
deeply grateful nation I say thank you and God bless you.
[ends]