Hansard debates

Mr McCURDY (Ovens Valley) (09:40:25) — I was pleased to attend the Remembrance Day service at Cobram on Saturday. Well done to Rob Brown on the exceptional service, which honoured all those who have served and those who have died in the service of our country. It was encouraging to see many members of the local community in attendance paying tribute to the sacrifices made by the members of our defence forces.

Today is the 80th anniversary of the opening of the former Repatriation Commission Outpatient Clinic at St Kilda Road. The repatriation clinic was a place of healing for the many that returned home from service, and the facility deserves recognition for the role it played in the lives of so many veterans after the war. There is evidence that more than 1000 veterans visited the repatriation clinic every week, so it is easy to imagine the clinic served veterans from all the major battles of World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam across all three services during its operation from 1937 to 1975. After the war the battle begins, so for many veterans it is fitting that the role this day clinic played in the lives of veterans on returning home be acknowledged here.