Liz Wheeler, Mount Gambier

Mr FATCHEN (Mount Gambier) (15:28): I rise today to acknowledge an extraordinary woman from our region, Liz Wheeler, whose service to country, service to veterans and service to community deserves recognition in this place. Liz is a former Australian Army member, a reservist and a highly respected wellbeing advocate based in the Limestone Coast Veterans Hub in Mount Gambier. Through that role she supports serving members, ex-serving members, veterans and their families across our region.

But Liz's contribution goes well beyond the walls of an office. She understands that support for veterans is not only about forms, appointments or systems but about connection, trust and being understood by someone who knows the language of service and the experience of life after service. That is particularly important for regional veterans, who can often feel isolated from the services, networks and supports more readily available in metropolitan areas. Liz has been a strong voice for veteran wellbeing in the Limestone Coast and a powerful advocate for the stories and experiences of women who have served in the Australian Defence Force.

When Liz joined the Army in the mid-1980s, the experience for women in the ADF was very different than it is today. It was a period of change but also a period of significant challenge. Women were beginning to take on roles and opportunities that had not always been available to them but still faced barriers, attitudes and expectations that should never have existed. Liz has spoken openly about the experience, not with bitterness but with honesty and strength. She has used those experiences to bring women veterans together, to build camaraderie and to make sure their stories are seen and heard.

One of the most remarkable examples of that work is the Nancy Wake Memorial Ride. Liz, together with a group of local women veterans from the Limestone Coast, set out to honour the courage and legacy of Nancy Wake, one the most highly decorated women of the Second World War. Nancy Wake was known as the White Mouse. She risked her life repeatedly as part of the French Resistance. Her courage, intelligence and determination saved lives and changed the course of history.

The group trained through the Limestone Coast, building fitness, friendships and purpose along the way. They called themselves the Fanny Fridays, reclaiming with humour and strength a term that reflected some of the outdated attitudes they had experienced during their time of service. The Nancy Wake Memorial Ride also raised awareness and funds for Military and Emergency Services Health Australia, supporting research and programs focused on the health and wellbeing of service members, emergency service workers and their families.

More recently, Liz completed another remarkable ride, travelling 470 kilometres from Broken Hill to Kapunda to honour Lieutenant Colonel Vivian Bullwinkel AO, MBE. Sister Bullwinkel was an Australian Army nurse who survived the Bangka Island massacre during the Second World War and went on to become a powerful advocate for nurses and veterans.

Liz began the journey in Broken Hill, where Sister Bullwinkel had been raised, and rode through Yunta, Peterborough, Jamestown and Spalding before arriving in Kapunda, Sister Bullwinkel's birthplace. She was welcomed into Kapunda by a convoy of local motorcycle riders, RSL members and community supporters. Liz said she hoped the ride would shine a light on Sister Bullwinkel's story and help younger generations learn about her legacy. That is exactly the kind of practical, community-led remembrance we should encourage.

It is easy to talk about honouring service. Liz Wheeler shows us what that looks like in action. She supports veterans in their everyday lives, she creates spaces for women veterans to connect, she promotes physical and mental wellbeing, she tells the stories of remarkable Australian women, she brings community together, and she does it with humility, determination and heart.

I thank Liz Wheeler for her service, her advocacy and her leadership. Her efforts remind us that veteran wellbeing is not only a national responsibility but a community responsibility. In Mount Gambier and across the Limestone Coast we are very fortunate to have someone like Liz Wheeler helping lead that work.