Egyptian born ex- Royal Australian Air Force Flight Sergeant Sam Halim had a distinguished Air Force career.
Although he carried the Australian flag as high as he could wherever he went, during his career he was subjected to an unrelenting campaign of racism and discrimination, which was later on proven in court and to some extent compensated for.
This discrimination and racial abuse made FSGT Halim more determined to act and to help rectify the racism and abuse experienced by Aboriginal soldiers, and Aborigines in general.
His fight against RSL was not against the noble concept of the RSL, but against the narrow-minded unethical members who abused their fellow soldiers simply because they were black or non Anglo-Saxon.
Because theirs was a noble cause, Sam Halim and Aunty Dot Peters received a great deal of help from both the Victorian Ministry for Aboriginal Affairs and Department of Premier and Cabinet, including assistance with setting up and administering the Victorian Aboriginal Remembrance Committee (VARC). They also received support from prominent political figures such as the former premier of Victoria, Steve Bracks, a leading advocate for both multiculturalism and Aboriginal reconciliation, when he travelled to Healesville and showed his support to Sam during his struggle with the RSL.
RSL must adjust to the new fact that all soldiers are to be honoured, regardless of their race or colour.
The right thing for RSL to do now is to honour Sam Halim, for it was he who illuminated the path for others to follow: the path of reconciliation honouring the indigenous soldiers and their families.
The time is now for RSL to stop emptying veterans’ pockets through their pokie machines, and DO THE RIGHT THING.
Let us continue to improve the conditions for indigenous servicemen and women. We must never let the discrimination and criminal behaviour of the past be allowed to happen again.