Member for New England and Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Barnaby Joyce, has criticised the government for failing to approve a ‘killed in service’ clasp recommended to be available for the loved ones of those who died in service.
Mr Joyce has called on Prime Minister Albanese to use this week’s Anzac Day to deliver on the key recommendation of the independent Defence Honours and Appeals Tribunal report titled “Recognising Their Sacrifice”, which called for greater recognition for those who died in service. Described as an equivalent of the US Purple Heart medal, the idea was to have formal recognition of injury and death in battle recognised by something that can be worn at formal and memorial events. Amongst the report’s recommendations, handed down in January 2022, was that a Memorial Clasp be posthumously awarded to a member of the Defence Force or a veteran who died as a result of service.
“How hard can that be to approve?”
“What possible obstacle could there be to that; and how does a Minister sit on something like this for 700 days?”
“When we say Lest We Forget, that means ‘Thank you, we won’t forget’,” Mr Joyce said.
Mr Joyce said the independent report had been commissioned by the previous Coalition Government after a series of petitions attracted over 50,000 signatures through the “Defence Lives Matter” campaign, spearheaded by Mr Kerry Danes CSM and Dr Kay Danes.
“The inspiration for this campaign began in 1996 when 18 Australian servicemen died during a collision of the Australian Army Black Hawk helicopters near Townsville”, he said.
Mr Joyce said as soon as the independent recommendations were handed down in January 2022, the then Coalition Government convened a meeting with ex-service organisations to discuss the report’s recommendations.
“The government then changed and Prime Minister Albanese infamously dumped the position of Minister for Veterans’ Affairs from Labor’s Cabinet, and the recommendations have never been heard of again,” Mr Joyce said.
He said it is proposed that the Memorial Clasp would be attached to the Australian campaign or service medal in which the death occurred.
Other recommendations included a Gratitude Clasp, to be awarded to a member of the ADF or veteran who is seriously wounded, seriously injured or suffers a serious injury in or as a result of service; a Memorial Star – A full size brooch-like emblem of a uniquely Australian design that recognises the sacrifice of the family of a member of the ADF or veteran who dies in service or whose death is service related; and a Gratitude Star – A full size brooch-like emblem of uniquely Australian design to recognise the sacrifice of the family of the member or veteran who has suffered a serious wound, serious injury or serious disease in or as a result of service.
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