Thursday, 30 May 2024

 Martin CAMERON (Morwell) (09:50): Next month I will have the privilege of travelling to Papua New Guinea along other MPs, including the member for Gippsland East, and a band of scholarship winners to tackle the Kokoda Track. This represents an invaluable opportunity to gain firsthand insight into the Gippsland connection to the Kokoda Track and the enormous sacrifices made by soldiers from my community. As fate would have it, the inaugural winner of the Marsh/Tierney scholarship for the Morwell electorate has a deeply personal and touching connection to the Kokoda Track.

When Kurnai College student Amelia van Vliet was just one year old her father Euan Comrie wanted to honour his grandfather – who served in Commando Double Black – and walk the Kokoda Track. Tragically, on the flight to Kokoda the aeroplane carrying Amelia’s dad and nine other Australians crashed into a mountain and there were no survivors. Now, 15 years on, Amelia will honour her dad’s memory and finish what he started by taking on the Kokoda Track. Amelia’s story and her motivation for wanting to take on the challenge is truly amazing, and I can think of no more worthy winner of the inaugural Marsh/Tierney scholarship. I am sure Amelia and her amazing story will serve as an extra source of motivation for all of us taking on this challenge.