I rise to acknowledge Corporal Reginald “Reg” Hillier, the only Territorian killed in the Vietnam War.

Reg grew up around Darwin, riding horses and mustering cattle, and learning from Aboriginal stockmen how to track animals.

In 1965, aged 26, he was posted to Vietnam.

During his five months there, he went down Viet Cong tunnels seven times, and his bush skills paid off, after he tracked two Viet Cong through the jungle to a large hidden base replete with documents.

Reg was killed in action on 29 November 1965 as his battalion prepared to clear a village.

His family were told it would cost 1000 pounds to have his body returned home, a sum they couldn’t afford.

Against their wishes, he was buried in Malaysia.

The Hilliers fought for decades to have Reg brought home.

I commend Bob Shewring, of the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia’s NT Branch for his efforts with the Bring Them Home campaign, to repatriate the remains of 25 Australians killed in Vietnam and buried overseas.

He’s written a terrific book called “Reg”, which I was happy to help launch recently.

In 2015, the Federal Government finally agreed to fund Reg’s repatriation, and he now rests at the Adelaide River War Cemetery.

May he rest in peace and lest we forget.