Member's Statement: East Timor - recognition

Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) -- Members would have received a circular from the Mary MacKillop East Timor Mission and a blank petition to the House of Representatives in which it is asking for support for its nomination of East Timor for the award of the Companion of the Order of Australia (Honorary).
The petition reads:

We are mindful that the decreasing number of veterans who fought on Timor in World War II remember the Timorese people with deep gratitude, as did those who have died.

We recall that for the last 70 years they have told and retold the stories of the courage and compassion of the Timorese.

We regret that there has been no adequate official recognition of the role of the Timorese in assisting Australia in World War II.

We remember that at the very least, 40 000 Timorese civilians were killed as a result of their assistance to Australia.

My father, a World War II veteran who served in the Royal Australian Navy in the area north of Australia, often spoke of his respect for the people of East Timor and the debt that we owe them. He was very angry at the Australian government's lack of support for the East Timorese in 1975.

I urge members to support the petition. We have it in our office and I am sure other members do, too. I urge members to support the petition and the nomination of the East Timorese people for the award of Companion of the Order of Australia (Honorary).