Speech by Mrs Gina Rinehart AO Daniel Keighran VC Apartments Opening

Speech by Mrs Gina Rinehart AO

Daniel Keighran VC Apartments Opening

Monday, October 12

Brisbane

Thank you. 

And welcome veterans and everyone to the naming occasion for these apartments. 

This is our first to be named in Queensland. 

And I’m delighted to say, this building for veterans, will be named in honour of a truly great Australian, a recipient of our highest military honour, the Victoria Cross, Daniel Keighran VC. 

We are privileged to have Daniel with us today. And after a few more words from me, I am especially pleased we will all hear from him too. 

You may wonder, what am I doing purchasing buildings for veterans? I’m doing this because the government might attend medal ceremonies and other photograph opportunities, but won’t open the doors of the unused or scarcely used barracks or other defence accommodation facilities to let our veterans in out of the cold. To let our veterans have a safer place to live, a place they can use and call home. 

And I must add, the government favours growing a Canberra bureaucracy to check hours veterans might work, then penalise them for working, penalise them through the meagre pension such bureaucrats should not ever touch, which veterans have done so very much to earn.

Of course, such favouring of the bureaucracy, not only by the current government but unfortunately the uniparty too, has the obvious consequences, veterans can’t work as much as they may want to. This restricts their ability to cope with the increasing cost of living, support their family, pay off a mortgage or even rental accommodation. The uniparties fanfare, photograph opportunities and pretty sounding but lacking in action speeches, don’t help one iota. 

Thank you for the service of each of the veterans who call this building home. 

Please join me in applause and very warm welcome! 

You may like to know, we have also acquired two more buildings for veterans in Brisbane, and we’re hoping a 4th will be agreed soon.

It is my privilege to now ask Daniel to address us all.

Please join me in warm applause