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Aboriginal Veteran Family Honoured

Joint Press Release
Minister for Veterans' Affairs,
Bruce Scott &
Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs,
Senator John Herron

31 May 2000 - Canberra's tallest building today will be officially renamed in honour of an Aboriginal family that has made a considerable contribution to the defence of the nation. In all, 19 members of the immediate family have seen service across both World Wars as well as in Japan, Korea, Vietnam and East Timor.

Veterans' Affairs Minister Bruce Scott and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs Minister Senator John Herron said the newly-named Lovett Tower at Woden would be a prominent tribute to Australia's Indigenous and veteran communities.

The Lovett family is from the Gunditjmara people in Victoria. Hannah and James Lovett saw five of their sons serve overseas during WWI, including frontline action in France, Gallipoli and Palestine. Four of them later volunteered for service in WWII and a grandson served with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan in the post-war years. Other family members have served in Korea and Vietnam and most recently with Australian troops in East Timor.

The Ministers today will attend a ceremony during which Governor-General Sir William Deane will officially rename Woden Tower, the headquarters of the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC).

"The Lovetts have a proud record of service to this nation, encapsulating the story of Australia's wartime history during the past century. This one family demonstrates how the Anzac tradition, born during WWI, has been passed down from generation to generation and endures today," Mr Scott said.

Senator Herron praised the Lovett family for its significant contribution to its community both in war and peace time. "All Australians would be very proud, as I am, of the leading roles Lovett family members have played in their communities throughout Victoria. It is fitting that their name should be given to the headquarters of the Federal Government's key Indigenous and veterans' affairs organisations, commend the ATSIC Board for its initiative in naming this building," Senator Herron said.

Mr Scott said the tribute to a family of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander veterans reflected the Government's commitment to the Indigenous veteran community. "My department is currently conducting a nationwide search for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander veterans and their families, to make sure they are getting the pensions and other benefits available to the Australian veteran community. DVA is also working closely with ATSIC and other agencies throughout the country to identify veterans and improve the delivery of services to the Indigenous veteran community," Mr Scott said.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander veterans, their partners and widows are encouraged to contact their local DVA State office to find out more about their eligibility for pensions and health care benefits.

Source: Department for Veterans' Affairs

related links :

• Aboriginals' significant role in WWI revealed
  13 April 2004 - The names of more than 400 Aboriginal soldiers who served in World War I have been uncovered -- and many were from Tasmania's Bass Strait islands. Canberra-based historian David Huggonson, who has spent 20 years researching the Aboriginal contribution to Australia's military campaigns, announced his findings yesterday.
• NAIDOC Week: Tribute to Indigenous Service
  August 2001 - In recognition of the important contribution Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have made to the Australian Defence Force (ADF), a number of high-ranking Defence personnel attended a special memorial service at the Australian War Memorial during National Aboriginal and Islander Day of Commemoration (NAIDOC) week.
• Guilt surfaces at Australia's centenary
  31 December 2000 - The Independent (UK) - When proud Australians paraded through Sydney 100 years ago tomorrow to hail the birth of their independent nation, there were no black faces among the marchers, or the hat-waving crowds. There were, for that matter, only two women in the procession.
• Indigenous Australians At War
  Indigenous Australians At War has been put together by Garth O'Connell. This site is dedicated to all Indigenous Australians who have served Australia in war and peacetime. . .A collection of information and stories about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Ex Servicemen and Servicewomen.
• The Australian Home Front during World War 2 - Indigenous Australians
• The Australian War Memorial’s photographic database
  Has over 470 images of Indigenous Australians

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