Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (11:16): I rise to support the motion:

That this house—

(a) recognises that on 11 November we commemorate Remembrance Day;

(b) acknowledges the significance of Remembrance Day in marking the end of fighting on the Western Front;

(c) expresses its profound gratitude to all South Australian men and women who have served in the Australian Defence Force;

(d) recognises the sacrifices made, and support provided by, the families of our veterans; and

(e) acknowledges the important role of the RSL and other organisations who support veterans and their families.

After four years of warfare and the deaths of millions of civilians and military, the guns on the Western Front finally fell silent at 11am on 11 November 1918. This marked the end of the First World War, and since then countries including Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States have been using November 11 as the annual day to commemorate those who lost their lives in battle.

The day was originally called Armistice Day due to the Germans calling for an armistice in order to secure a peace settlement. It remained as Armistice Day until the end of World War II, when the United Kingdom proposed to change the name to Remembrance Day. This was done so the day could be used to honour those killed in both wars.

There have been numerous other wars since the two world wars, and in Australia we have used 11 November to commemorate lives lost in all conflicts since 1918. Whilst the day has been around since 1918, it was not until 1997 that Governor-General Sir William Deane formally declared 11 November to be Remembrance Day and urged all Australians to observe one minute's silence at 11am on 11 November each year.

Giving some of the history and background to the armistice and the ending of World War I, at 5am on 11 November, in a railway carriage in France, representatives of the governments of France, Britain and Germany signed the document to end hostilities in the First World War. Six hours later, at 11am, the guns officially fell silent. The First World War was the first conflict that engaged people across so many countries.

At the time, recent advances in weapon development led to the most terrible conditions for those fighting. It was the first conflict utilising tanks and aircraft and the first with widespread use of the machine gun. Gas was regularly used. The fighting was often fought across open fields, where the only cover from fire were the shell holes that were made by the deadly artillery bombardments. There was widespread loss of life and many service personnel left with debilitating physical and mental injuries.

The first signs of the war ending were in October 1918 when an armistice between the Ottoman Empire and the Allies put a stop to the fighting in the Middle East. This was shortly followed by an armistice being signed between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Italy.

Meanwhile, over in the west the German army was quickly collapsing and on 10 November the Germans on the battlefront were instructed by the government to sign the armistice with the Allies. This followed news that Kaiser Wilhelm II, the last German reigning monarch, had abdicated. At 5am on 11 November the armistice was agreed on and word was sent to the allied commanders that hostilities would be stopped on the entire front beginning at 11 o'clock on 11 November.

The signing of the armistice resulted in the complete demilitarisation of the German army, the evacuation of German soldiers out of France and Belgium and the immediate release of allied prisoners of war and returned civilians. Numerous armistices were signed in 1918; however, it was the armistice of 11 November that left a lasting global legacy as it symbolised the war on the Western Front ending after four long years.

Over one and a half million Australian men and women have served in eight major wars or conflicts since the start of the First World War in 1914. Over 100,000 have died, paying the ultimate sacrifice during battle since that time, and many others have died as a result of injuries sustained from battle. There were 416,809 Australians who enlisted in the First World War out of a population of less than 5 million. Of that number, 34,959 were South Australians. Sadly, 61,665 died during World War I, with more than 156,000 personnel wounded, gassed or taken prisoner.

The number of Australians who served in World War II was 993,000, more than double the number involved in World War I, and the number of South Australians who served was 54,660. Fortunately, to a degree, the number of casualties from World War II was considerably less, totalling 39,656. During the course of the Second World War over 30,000 Australians were taken prisoner.

Each Remembrance Day we take the opportunity to reflect on the wars that have shaped the world and commemorate those who have tragically lost their lives protecting our nation. Serving in Australia's armed forces is a serious commitment, and we thank those South Australians who are current members or who have served in the past.

We must also acknowledge the important work of the many ex-service organisations that provide support to our veterans and their families. Transitioning from military to civilian life can be a difficult period for veterans and their families, so it is crucial that they have access to quality support services to help them through this phase. In particular, we express our gratitude to the Returned and Services League (RSL) for the work they do year-round for our veterans and for their dedication to conducting Remembrance Day services.

I want to acknowledge a couple of the services I attended on Remembrance Day this past Monday. Military and Emergency Services Health Australia had a breakfast at the Convention Centre that was very well attended. Then Adelaide Cemeteries had a service, which I have not participated in before. It is a very moving service amongst at least 4,000 graves of military servicemen and servicewomen in the West Terrace Cemetery. It was a very moving service at which quite a few schools were present.

Just on another reflection, back at the end of 2010 I was privileged to have a battlefield tour through France and Belgium, and I would urge anyone who has not done this to do it because it is just shocking, really, to note that there are at least three and a half thousand war cemeteries in the area. One thing I did learn was that under the Versailles agreement the commonwealth got to have white headstones and the Germans got to have black headstones. This was something I only learned at that stage. It just shows the depth of what people negotiated during the armistice.

I want to acknowledge all those who have served or are serving. My family have served in various conflicts, including World War I and as recently as in Iraq. I take my hat off to all those people who have signed up for the defence of this great nation because they are all prepared to pay the ultimate sacrifice. No greater gift can anyone give their country. Lest we forget.