Media workers killed during front line reporting have been honoured in Brisbane. Army and media officials came together at QUT to pay their respects.

Georgia Collings reports.

TRANSCRIPT

The poignant ceremony was held in Kelvin Grove’s historic Parer Place, which honours Australia’s most influential war photographer, Damien Parer.

Parer risked his life every day, working to get the perfect shot of the front line soldiers during World War Two.

He died with a camera in his hand.

Robert Parer, Relative: “They put themselves out there, they got no guns, but that’s what they are like, the good ones, that’s all they wanna do, they don’t care if they get killed.”

Ninety-five war correspondents and artists lost their lives in 2018 while reporting in war zones and areas of civil unrest.

Others risked arrest, torture and injury.

Brigadier Andrew Hocking, Australian Defence Force: “I think they show great courage, they show moral courage, in speaking honestly.”

Like Parer, they all strive to tell the true story of the horrors, as well as the mateship, during combat.

Brigadier Andrew Hocking, Australian Defence Force: “Almost all the qualities they show um are the qualities that we espouse.”

The serving Brigadier assured those who were there to remember that the stories of front line reporters will always remain part of Australia’s history.

Brigadier Andrew Hocking, Australian Defence Force: “Whether it’s a war correspondent or a war artist, to tell it through their eyes so honestly is really important to us.

Journalists and media workers become integral parts of our military, earning respect and showing the human side of war.

Today’s tribute honoured the stories of generations of Australians.

Georgia Collings, QUT News.