Wednesday, 1 May 2024

 John BERGER (Southern Metropolitan) (09:52): Last week I had the privilege and honour of joining with my parliamentary friends in the other place on a journey to Türkiye. The cross-party delegation, led by the Minister for Veterans, Minister Suleyman, attended many functions and ceremonies, including with the Australian Consulate-General, the Council of Foreign Economic Relations and the Australian Turkish Business Council. We visited the mausoleum of Atatürk, where the minister laid a wreath and signed the book of honour. We then had a working lunch with the president of the Türkiye–Australia interparliamentary friendship group and members of the Turkish Parliament. Afterwards we attended the Turkish Grand National Assembly – that is the Turkish general assembly session – for the anniversary of the foundation of the TGNA and had a guided tour. The delegation then shifted to Çanakkale and Eceabat for the ceremony of the 109th anniversary of the land wars of Çanakkale. On Anzac Day we attended the dawn service at Anzac Cove and then the Australian service at Lone Pine, followed by the New Zealand service at Conkbayırı – truly moving ceremonies.

My community of Southern Metro had 72 sons who made the ultimate sacrifice at Anzac Cove. I pay tribute to the many RSLs in my community of Southern Metro and indeed many RSL presidents who, like the other RSL executives, took the time to sign cards on behalf of the fallen so that they could lay a small thankyou on their final resting place. I would like to thank Minister Suleyman for organising this important delegation and the Turkish parliamentary officials, the Turkish consulate officials, the Turkish Airlines staff, security details, transfer drivers, guest speakers and tour guides, who made this trip safe and seamless.