FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                             DATE 24/02/10

 

Senator Helen Polley and Senator Carol Brown today added their full support to the inclusion of Tasmania in ‘This Company of Brave Men: the Gallipoli VCs Tour’.

 

The tour, which will allow all other Australian states to view the Victoria Cross medals of Gallipoli veterans, will not visit Tasmania under the proposed itinerary, despite Tasmania’s long and distinguished military history.

 

“Tasmanians have stood proudly beside their interstate comrades in each and every armed conflict and peace-keeping mission involving the Australian Defence Force.” Senator Brown outlined. “Tasmania proportionally has a high rate of VC recipients and so Tasmanians deserve the opportunity to view these important pieces of Australian history.”

 

Senator Polley added a strong personal note to the role Tasmanians had played in Australia’s armed conflicts throughout history. “As the daughter of a man who not only served in World War II but was also held as a Prisoner of War, I am deeply dismayed that Tasmania has been excluded. If this truly is to be a national tour of our military history then Tasmania must be a part of it.”

 

Senator Brown and Senator Polley have today written to the Managing Director of the Australian War Memorial urging steps be taken to ensure that Tasmania does not miss out on the tour being funded by Kerry Stokes.

 

“We will ensure that Tasmania’s keen desire to host this tour is made clear to those stakeholders and that fellow Tasmanians who have served, and their families, may feel honoured in the role they have played.” the Senators concluded.