Mr FERGUSON (Bass) – Last Remembrance Day, I was at the Hobart Cenotaph. When
I see a person seated on their own, I often take the opportunity to go and sit beside them. That’s
what I did on this occasion, and I got to know Craig Valentine, a very nice man who lives here
in the south of Tasmania. I’d like to share with the House what emerged following our happy
meeting. We got chatting before the service began. During the service, the rain started beating
down on everybody who was in attendance – I might be bringing back some memories for
some. I was very grateful that I’d chosen the opportunity to sit with Craig, because he then
shared his umbrella with me. I hadn’t brought one.

As we were chatting, I also remarked upon the very beautiful red poppy that he was
wearing. It was very different to the usual ones that we see. They’re all beautiful. This one was
especially beautiful. I asked him about it. Craig told me that his son Damon had made it by
hand. In fact, that Damon makes many of them. He also told me that his son Damon is a
returned serviceman who’d served our country in East Timor. I said to him I’d love to buy one,
if that was possible. One thing led to another, which led to Craig and his wife Sandra very
kindly arranging to visit me and gifting me one, and one for each member of my family. I’m
very grateful for that. This is the pin that I’m wearing in the Chamber today.

Damon got in touch recently and told me that he had created something very special to
mark the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan, and Damon had made the decision to
donate it to his home state of Tasmania. I hope that all members have noticed it. I think we
have. That work is now on display in the foyer here in Parliament House. It’s available for all
of us members to enjoy, our staff and, of course, visitors to our Parliament. I know members
will agree it’s a very beautiful piece of work. It’s a gorgeous piece of Tasmanian sassafras
covered with Damon’s handmade poppies. I counted the poppies: I counted 131. Each poppy
takes Damon about five hours to make, and it took him over seven weeks to make this for us.
Of that number, the Long Tan Cross, which is the central feature across the map of Tasmania
that the red poppies make up, is made up of 18 white poppies – 18 Tasmanians died as a result
of the Vietnam War. What a gift. How grateful we must be for that generosity.

When Damon makes these poppies, remembrance and service is very close to home.
Damon knows what it means to serve, and there’s something very fitting about the timing of
his gift. I didn’t arrange it this way, but earlier this week, the parliament passed my private
members’ bill to strengthen Tasmania’s laws protecting our war memorials. Furthermore, on
that day, on Vietnam War Veterans Day itself, the plaque arrived just in time to be on display
60 years on from the Battle of Long Tan and we unveiled Damon’s plaque here in parliament
and speaking to you and your counterpart in the other place, the President, thank you for making
that possible and for ensuring that that gift will be protected here and looked after for many
generations to come in its long-term home, which I leave to your good officers to decide.
I was pleased that Craig and Sandra were able to join us and members from this House
and the other place also came along to meet them and hear the story behind the work, and to
admire the work, and the legislation that protects war memorials and Damon’s plaque itself are
both very different things, but they’ve come into fruition at the same time. Both have played a
huge role in ensuring that service and sacrifice are respected and remembered. I remind the
House again that at the Battle of Long Tan itself, the bloodiest of the conflicts in that overall
war, 18 Australians were killed and 24 were wounded, and we’ve remembered them this week.
I think that that the remembrance that we have been all part of has played a very special role in
the life of our parliament. I know it means a lot to Tasmanians, contemporary veterans, thank
you to Damon for your generous gift. We’re so grateful to you. All members, I know, share in
that gratitude to you, and I say to Damon as well, to his parents, Craig and Sandra, and to all
veterans, thank you for your generosity and your service.