Townsville City Council’s Civic Reception for the VP80 Commemorations

Representing the Premier of Queensland and Minister for Veterans, Member for Mundingburra, Ms Janelle Poole MP; Ambassador of France, His Excellency Pierre-Andre Imbert; representing the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Mr Luke Gosling OAM, MP;  Federal Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Defence Personnel, the Honourable Matt Keogh MP; Senator for Queensland, Senator Susan McDonald; Chief of Royal Australian Air Force, Air Marshal Stephen Chappell DSC, CSC, OAM; Commander, 3rd Brigade, Brigadier Ben McLennan CSC and Bar; Commander, HMAS Cairns, Commander Andrew Thorpe RAN and Australian Defence Force personnel; representing Chief of Staff, US Army Pacific, Brigadier General James Dooghan; Deputy Commander, US 5th Air Force, Brigadier General John Schutte and Members of The United States Armed Forces; U.S. Consul-General, Mr Jeremy Cornforth; Townsville City Council Acting Mayor, Councillor Ann–Maree Greany; Charters Towers Council Mayor, Councillor Elizabeth Schmidt; Burdekin Shire Council Mayor, Councillor Pierina Dalle Cort; Veterans; service men and women; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen; boys and girls.

I begin by also acknowledging the Original Custodians of the lands on which we gather and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to all First Nations people here this afternoon. I also extend my respects to any Indigenous servicemen and women, their families and carers who are here today.

As Governor of Queensland and the proud Honorary Colonel of both the 31^st Battalion Association and the Royal Queensland Regiment, it is a privilege and an honour to be in Townsville for these Victory in the Pacific commemorations.

As we know, it was exactly 80 years ago to this very day that Australia’s then Prime Minister Ben Chifley took to the radio to announce, “Fellow citizens, the war is over”. The Japanese had unconditionally surrendered, marking the end of the Second World War in 1945.

This six-year struggle to overcome enemy forces and claim victory is etched in our nation’s memory––and I am so proud that Townsville, as Australia’s leading garrison city, has rallied to present this rolling three-day program of commemorative activities. 

These events provide an important opportunity for the community to come together, to remember and to pay tribute to the courage and sacrifices of our servicemen and women who fought for the freedoms we cherish today.

Today we honour all Australians who bravely served in the Second World War and who fought for victory in the Pacific. And we pay our deep respects to the families and loved ones of the 17,000 servicemen and women who perished during campaigns in the Pacific.

I also wish to pay a special tribute to the seven World War Two veterans who are here today, along with their family members and carers. We here offer you our deep gratitude and respect for the roles you played in bringing Victory to the Pacific. Your courage and service will never be diminished nor forgotten.

I commend the Townsville City Council, the Department of Veteran Affairs, the Queensland Government and many others for their roles in coordinating these activities to commemorate this important 80^th anniversary.

By being here in Townsville, each of you is marking the profound significance of a world event that brought the very real threat of war close to our doorstep.

North Queensland was in close proximity to the devastating action being undertaken in the Pacific, with Horn Island, Mossman and Townsville coming under direct aerial attack from the Japanese.

As we know, Townsville itself played a significant role in the defence of our shores. It became a major military base accommodating up to 90,000 Australian, American and other allied service personnel, and was the launching point for Pacific operations and an important allied airbase.

At one stage, the city hosted the largest US Air Force base outside of the United States. Today, Townsville’s deep ties with the 5^th United States Air Force remain solid––as is made evident by the strong representation of the US Air Force here today.

Victory in the Pacific was a turning point that brought peace to Australia, and we must ensure that the legacy of those who served lives on, so that future generations will have a renewed understanding of the devotion and sacrifice of those who answered the call to protect our nation.

In closing, I want to say how proud I am that organisations such as the Australian War Widows––of which I am Patron––and the RSL and Legacy––of which my husband Graeme and I are Joint Patrons in Queensland––continue to provide such compassionate support to former servicemen and women and their families.

We will always remember and value the devotion and sacrifice of those who have come before, and those who continue to serve and protect our nation.

Lest we forget.