ANZAC Day Commemoration Services

Mr ODENWALDER (Elizabeth) (15:25): I rise today to say a few words about a couple of events around ANZAC Day in my electorate and around the state that I was lucky enough to attend. All of us attend services on ANZAC Day in our communities, of course, and it is always a sombre occasion. This year, I was lucky enough to have ANZAC Day spread over a week or two, attending various events. First, I was invited to join the minister at the Police Academy on 22 April at the South Australia Police ANZAC Memorial Service, ostensibly commemorating members who lost their lives in World War I, World War II and on peacekeeping duties in Cyprus.

The point was made, and it is well known to me, that police officers are generally among the first to volunteer to serve in conflict. When I was a serving police officer, there were many reservists who went on peacekeeping missions at various times while I was there. This was a service to pay tribute to them particularly. The minister was there, as I said, and the commissioner and his wife were there. Before I move on, I want to pay tribute to Mrs Geraldine White. I do not know if the minister has had a chance to get to know Geraldine very well, but I am sure he will. She is the lifeblood of these events both at the Police Academy and police foundation. She brings it all together, and behind the scenes she is very much the backbone of it all.

Of course, on the morning of ANZAC Day I went to the Elizabeth RSL as I always do, as I have for the last 10 or 15 years. It has become trite to say now, but we have all made the observation that every year it gets bigger and bigger. The service gets bigger and the crowds get bigger. The number of young people, particularly, is always heartwarming, although some of them seem reluctant to get out of the car as you walk past. It is always a big crowd. The fireys are always there, the police, the army and the armed forces, of course. We have a large number of defence families in the Elizabeth area, and I will get to that a bit later.

Representatives of the members for Wakefield and Napier were there. I understand that they both have big electorates and there were other services there, so that is no reflection on them. As I said, it was the largest service I have ever seen at that RSL. It did not rain, I should add. It did not rain on the Sunday at the Police Academy, and it did not rain on that Wednesday morning.

An honourable member: It was sunny.

Mr ODENWALDER: Yes. It was actually hot at the Police Academy. It is the first time I have been to one of those where it has not rained. I usually stay around for a beer with some of the old guys at the RSL, but this year I did not. I had one of my first official duties, which was attending the anniversary of the liberation of Italy from Nazi aggression and 23 years of fascist rule, and 25 April was chosen because it was the day it was first announced by the National Liberation Committee that the fascist dictatorship was over. Of course, Mussolini was killed three days later, as were many fascist leaders. That was a day to commemorate and to remember the lives of Italians and others lost during that campaign.

A number of people were there whom I should mention: the Minister for Education; the member for Florey, who laid a wreath; and the Speaker. I am trying to remember who was there. A lot of people were there: the mayor of Norwood and St Peters; the federal member for Makin; a new MLC in the other place, the Hon. Frank Pangallo; and Joe Scalzi and other representatives of the national association of the Carabinieri (I will not try to pronounce the Italian version of that name). I really look forward to having dinner with them in coming weeks for the 204^th anniversary of the foundation of the Carabinieri Corps.

Finally, on 4 May there was a particularly poignant ANZAC Day service at two of my local primary schools, namely, Playford primary and Catherine McAuley—a public school and a Catholic school with a joint campus. A lot of defence families were there, and they had a very poignant ANZAC Day service at which they also officially opened their remembrance garden and their mural all under a shade sail provided by funding from the previous government. I met Jacqui Langstreth, who is the Defence School Transition Aide and who aids all those defence members in settling.

Time expired.