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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-05-01 Daily Xml
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ANZAC DAY

Mr PICCOLO (Light) (14:42): My question is to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs. Can the minister inform the house on how ANZAC Day was commemorated this year in South Australia?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Treasurer, Minister for Workers Rehabilitation, Minister for Defence Industries, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (14:42): ANZAC Day is regarded by many as Australia's most significant non-religious day of commemoration. It is a day when we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice. It is the day that every Australian pauses to remember those who have given so much in the service of our nation, including Australian Defence Force personnel currently deployed in operations overseas and within Australian territory who continue to make sacrifices in our name.

I was pleased to hear that 10,000 people attended the dawn service this year at the State National War Memorial here in Adelaide. Dawn services were also well attended in rural and regional South Australia. I, like many members, attended my local dawn service at the Salisbury RSL. Later in the day I went to the city to witness the ANZAC Day Commemorative March and attended the ANZAC Day Service of Remembrance at the Cross of Sacrifice. On ANZAC Day Eve I also attended the 13th annual ANZAC Eve Youth Vigil at the State National War Memorial. Other youth vigils were held at Blackwood, Marion, Naracoorte, Morphett Vale, Port Lincoln, Salisbury, Edwardstown and Whyalla. These popular youth vigils have allowed young people in our community from a range of backgrounds to experience how the ANZAC tradition belongs to us all, no matter our age or our cultural heritage.

Since the first march in 1918 volunteers from the RSL have planned and conducted ANZAC Day commemorations across the state. I applaud the State President of the RSL, Jock Statton OAM, and his team for all they do on behalf of the wonderful ex-servicemen and women who have given so much to our state and nation. I also acknowledge a memorial to commemorate the service and sacrifice of Sapper Jamie Larcombe, the 23rd Australian killed in Afghanistan. I travelled to Parndana campus, Kangaroo Island Community Education, last week to unveil the memorial with Jamie's family. I was particularly pleased that Jamie's mates from the 1st Combat Engineer Regiment were able to attend and participate, as did the member for Finniss.

I know that the veterans' community has a special place for Jamie and the entire Larcombe family. As a parent I have truly considered, but would not profess to understand, the pain visited on the entire Larcombe family by the tragic loss of Jamie. Jamie was an integral part of Kangaroo Island and a particularly important part of the Parndana community. I trust that the memorial will stand as a long-term testament to Jamie, as captured in the last lines on the memorial. Those lines read:

This school is proud of the student Jamie was and the man he became. We honour him as a fine example for all to emulate. Jamie will always be cherished and remembered by his community, this school, his father and mother Steven and Tricia, and his loving sisters Annmarie, Emily and April.

I would like to thank Mr Peter Philp and the staff of the Parndana campus for coordinating the commemoration, all members of the South Australian veterans' community who have contributed to this year's ANZAC Day events, Mr Bill Denny AM, and my agency Veterans SA for the work they have done to make sure that ANZAC Day is appropriately commemorated. Lest we forget.

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