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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-04-02 Daily Xml
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Motions

ANZAC Day

Ms O'HANLON (Dunstan) (11:04): I move:

That this house—

(a) recognises that ANZAC Day, commemorated each year on 25 April, marks the anniversary of the first major military action by Australian and New Zealand forces in World War I;

(b) pays its respects to the families of those ANZACs who tragically lost their lives during the Gallipoli campaign;

(c) shows its gratitude to all Australian personnel who have served in defence of their country; and

(d) remembers all Australians who have been injured or killed while serving.

I am honoured to speak today in support of this motion, which acknowledges the profound significance of ANZAC Day and the enduring legacy of those who have served our nation. Each year, on 25 April, Australians and New Zealanders pause to remember the anniversary of the Gallipoli landing in 1915. This event marked the first major military action undertaken by the ANZACs during World War I, a campaign that has since become synonymous with courage, resilience and sacrifice.

Although Gallipoli was not a military success, it forged an unbreakable spirit, a legacy that continues to shape our national identity. Gallipoli was a defining moment. It was a campaign that united a young nation in grief, in pride and in purpose. For many Australians at the time, it was their first experience of a global war. It was a trial by fire that saw the forging of an identity grounded in mateship, loyalty and unshakable resolve.

The ANZACs endured unimaginable hardship: rugged terrain, brutal conditions, constant shelling and staggering loss. Yet through it all, they displayed a level of camaraderie and humanity that would come to define the Australian spirit. As we reflect on the ANZACs who fought at Gallipoli, we must also remember the profound impact on those they left behind. Parents, siblings, partners and children bore the heavy weight of loss—grief that was deep and enduring. Families and communities united in sorrow created lasting memorials in churches, towns and cities to honour the fallen.

For the families of those who would return, the tyranny of distance added to their burden. News of their loved ones' fate often took months, sometimes years, to arrive. The uncertainty demanded extraordinary strength as they carried on with daily life, keeping families and communities together. In the midst of their worry, they did what they could to support the war effort: sending letters, care packages and messages of love. Their quiet acts of service, their patience and resilience sustained the morale of those overseas and helped shape our national character. Though often unheralded, their contributions were—and remain—essential to the ANZAC legacy.

Here in South Australia we are proud of our long and distinguished military tradition. More than 47,000 South Australians have served in our defence forces and for many of them and their families ANZAC Day carries deep personal meaning. Across the state, from city suburbs to regional towns, thousands of people will gather before sunrise on 25 April to honour the courage, dedication and loss that defines our nation's military history. On that day, we come together in solemn remembrance of not only the more than 103,000 Australians who have given their lives in service but also those who returned from conflict changed in body, mind or spirit. Their journey did not end with the war. It continued in the lives they rebuilt, the memories they carried and the silent burdens they bore.

This motion also calls upon us to show our gratitude to all Australian personnel who have served in defence of our country. From World War I to modern conflicts and peacekeeping missions, our service men and women have exemplified the highest values of duty, courage and sacrifice. Their commitment to protecting our freedoms and upholding international peace is a debt we can never fully repay but one we must always honour. I want to personally thank all those who have worn our uniform for their service. Whether full-time or as part of the reserves, your service keeps us safe, gives us a sense of pride and is essential to our country's future.

To that end, we also reflect on the contributions of the current generation of Australian service men and women who are deployed across the globe in our national interest. Around 120 Australian Defence Force personnel are currently deployed in Europe, training and mentoring Ukrainian soldiers as they defend their homeland against aggression. Other Australians are contributing to peacekeeping efforts, supporting partner nations and working in joint operations to enhance global security.

At sea, our naval vessels and crews play a vital role in maritime security, upholding freedom of navigation and supporting regional stability. In the air, our Royal Australian Air Force personnel are deployed on critical missions around the world, whether in surveillance, transport or strategic operations. Their dedication and professionalism reflect the highest traditions of the ANZACs and remind us that service is ongoing, not confined to our history books.

As a defence spouse myself, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the unique commitment and sacrifice of defence families and to reflect on the service of a close family friend, a comrade to my husband who is no longer with us. Warrant Officer Class Two Michael Craig was a special forces soldier who served our nation with distinction for nearly 25 years. Nearly eight years ago, he lost his life to an aggressive brain cancer, an illness that struck with the same intensity he had faced on the battlefield. Mick was part of the backbone of our Australian Defence Force. He is deeply missed by his wife, Carolyn, their two sons and his wider defence family.

Mick was a tough and compassionate leader. He returned time and again to highly dangerous combat zones in the Middle East, serving with courage, professionalism and an unwavering sense of duty. He never hesitated, never complained. He was driven by a quiet conviction, a belief in service, in doing what was right and in standing up for others. Formidable in combat and thoughtful in peace, Mick exemplified the values we honour on ANZAC Day. His legacy reminds us all to fight for the values we believe in, to stand firm in the face of challenge and to never take our freedoms for granted.

Whether facing personal adversity or standing alongside nations like Ukraine as they defend themselves against a brutal and illegal invasion, Australians have always stepped up. We do not turn away. We do not stand idly by. We show up with courage, with compassion and with an unshakable belief in a fair and just outcome. Doing nothing is never an option. For every deployed member, there is a family back home who has learnt to be resilient and self-reliant in their absence.

Deployments that last six to nine months are a common reality, and defence families carry that weight with strength and grace. Defence families are often the quiet force behind the uniform. They provide strength, stability and support, often while managing careers and parenting amid postings and deployments. They, too, deserve our deepest respect.

I want to acknowledge the evolving role of our defence forces in times of crisis beyond the battlefield. In recent weeks and months, we have seen the relief on the faces of people affected by flood. It was only in the last few years we felt the same sense of relief here in Australia as our troops stepped up to help in our own trials with bushfires.

Whether it is answering the call for help during flood, fire or pandemic or responding to international disasters, our personnel have stood ready to serve and protect both at home and abroad. Their versatility, compassion and professionalism in times of national emergency remind us that service comes in many forms, but it is always grounded in the same ANZAC values of courage, mateship and humanity.

We have all learnt much from the resilience, determination and compassion of those who served in World War I. The ANZACs showed us what it means to persevere in the face of adversity, to look out for one another even in the harshest conditions and to uphold a sense of humanity amidst the devastation of war. Their values continue to inspire us today, reminding us of the strength found in unity and the importance of supporting those in need.

Moreover, the sacrifices of the ANZACs laid the foundations for our nation's success. Their bravery, resourcefulness and unwavering commitment to each other in times of crisis instilled values that have helped shape modern Australia. Their spirit of mateship, resilience and fairness became ingrained in our national character, influencing our approach to challenges both at home and abroad. The freedoms, democracy and opportunities we enjoy today were hard earned through their sacrifice, and it is our duty to uphold and honour that legacy.

As generations have passed, the responsibility of remembrance becomes ours. We must teach our children the meaning of ANZAC Day, not just as a moment of national pride but as a solemn commitment to peace, to gratitude and to one another. We must ensure that future Australians understand the cost of the freedoms they enjoy and carry forward the lessons learnt in war: that peace is precious, that courage is quiet and persistent and that sacrifice must never be forgotten.

This house remembers all Australians who have been injured or killed while serving. Whether on the battlefield or in humanitarian missions, their sacrifice has shaped the nation we live in today. The physical and psychological scars borne by our veterans are a solemn reminder of the cost of war, and it is our responsibility to ensure they receive the support, respect and care they deserve.

ANZAC Day is not just a date in history: it is a living commemoration of the values that define us as Australians. It is time to renew our collective pledge: to honour the past, to care for our veterans, and to strive for peace in the future. In supporting this motion, I hope we reaffirm our commitment to remembrance, gratitude, and the ongoing care of those who have served. Lest we forget.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (11:15): I rise to commend and second the motion from the member for Dunstan in regard to ANZAC Day and its vital commemoration in this state and our country. I note that the member for Dunstan moved:

That this house—

(a) recognises that ANZAC Day, commemorated each year on 25 April, marks the anniversary of the first major military action by Australian and New Zealand forces in World War I;

(b) pays its respects to the families of those ANZACs who tragically lost their lives during the Gallipoli campaign;

(c) shows its gratitude to all Australian personnel who have served in defence of their country; and

(d) remembers all Australians who have been injured or killed while serving.

Each year on 25 April we commemorate ANZAC Day. On this day Australians and New Zealanders mark the service and sacrifice of their armed forces and remember their fallen. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, and the soldiers in these forces soon became known to others as the ANZACs. The soldiers took great pride in that name, and ANZAC Day allows that pride to continue.

The 25th of April was an important day during the First World War as it was the first landing by ANZAC soldiers on the beaches of Gallipoli and the start of the Gallipoli campaign in 1915. As part of that effort, Australia sided with other commonwealth countries during World War I, and in 1915 an expedition set out to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula. Thousands of Australian and New Zealand soldiers were part of the expedition that landed in Gallipoli on 25 April.

The soldiers were met by fierce resistance from the Ottoman Turkish defenders, and what they thought was a cunning plan to get the upper hand on Turkish forces ended up becoming a stalemate that dragged on for eight months. Both sides suffered heavy casualties during that time, and at the end of 1915 the stalemate finally culminated when allied forces evacuated from the peninsula. More than 8,000 Australian soldiers lost their lives during the Gallipoli campaign, which had a profound impact on Australians back home.

ANZAC Day commemorations were first held in 1916 in numerous locations around the world. In the 1920s it was established as a national day of commemoration for the 60,000 plus Australians who lost their lives at war, and on 25 April 1927 every state observed some form of public holiday for the first time as a commemoration. Following the Second World War, ANZAC Day also served to commemorate the 39,656 Australians who lost their lives fighting with the allied powers. Later on, the day was broadened to include those who lost their lives in all the military and peacekeeping operations Australia took part in.

The first ANZAC Day commemoration at the Australian War Memorial was in 1942, and there have been services held there ever since. ANZAC Day services are held at dawn because of the timing of the landings on the Gallipoli Peninsula.

Certainly, as a member of a family who have had service personnel being part of our allied forces in World War I, World War II, Korea, Malaya, Rwanda—which was peacekeeping and then was changed up to active service a few years down the track—and Iraq, I have had a close association with family members over that period of time.

Some of my most treasured mementos are some letters. Sadly, some got lost after being stored in a shed where vermin got into them, but I have some treasured letters from a great uncle and his mate who were serving in the Somme in World War I, and I have actually got the originals up in my office. It is amazing the messages that came back from the front.

Our service men and women put their hands up for the Boer War—which obviously was before World War I—and for World War I, of course, and all the conflicts and all the service and the service beyond that, and there is no greater gift for those of us at home than for people to put their hand up for their nation knowing that they may have to give their life.

I truly commend all those who have served. They have to put up with the political whims of the day. I have witnessed when political decisions change things rather rapidly. My brother was sent home from Townsville once for four days, which happens before a peacekeeping mission or active service, to go to Vanuatu. As I said, he had come home from Townsville to Coomandook and was sitting there with the family and having his days of just being with us before he left, and I knew that Tobruk was being loaded with supplies.

Next thing, it was all called off, and it was interesting watching the news and the minister at the time said, 'No, we are not going to Vanuatu,' and I thought, 'Well, that is a little bit odd because my brother has been flown a long way and he is sitting next to me.' But that is what happens and sometimes we see some terrible outcomes with some of the political decisions and some of the things that happen, especially when our troops are returned from service.

I reflect on our returning soldiers, especially from the Vietnam War, who had a pretty terrible reception when they came home, and a lot of them in the end had to come home in civilian clothes for their own protection, which is terrible when you think these people had been overseas to protect our country, and the lives of us at home and our future.

As I said, there is no greater gift than all those who have served, and people keep putting their hand up, and in these times of heightened uncertainty we certainly need all those across the fields of service, whether it is the Army, Air Force or Navy, to put their hand up. Whether they are full-time or reservists, they are all equal when it comes to action stations, and I truly treasure that service.

What I do not treasure is misleading reports by media, like the ABC, fabricating stories to hurt our veterans and serving members. I think it is absolutely appalling when media stories are fabricated and it strikes right at the heart of the people who are standing up to defend our country. One comment I will make in regard to that is it is pretty easy for people to be armchair warriors and to be critical, but are they ever on the frontline witnessing what is actually happening instead of being comfortable in their homes that are protected by our service men and women, and then literally fabricating stories around what our defence personnel have had to deal with overseas? It has a shocking impact on our personnel and our veterans.

I have met many veterans as the shadow minister for veterans affairs. A lot of rotations have had to be our special forces soldiers. These are the elite of the elite and you know that they are trained to the utmost degree. I have seen the readiness of training in soldiers before they go overseas: they are ready, whatever rank they are serving. But to see them now, after they have done up to 10 rotations in quick succession with not much time at home and having suffered the impact of being in conflict and essentially being blown up at times, they are paying a massive price.

I take my hat off to all those who serve. We will never fully understand the full outcome of post-traumatic stress disorder. Sadly, we lose too many people who have served to suicide and we must keep working to make sure that we can try to quell that situation. To all our service men and women, I just say: thank you.

The Hon. G.G. BROCK (Stuart) (11:25): I, along with the member for Hammond, stand to support this motion by the member for Dunstan. ANZAC Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations and the contribution and suffering of those who have served.

Observed on 25 April every year, ANZAC Day was originally devised to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who served at the Gallipoli campaign, their first engagement in the First World War. ANZAC Day marks the anniversary of the first campaign that led to major casualties for the Australian and New Zealand troops during the First World War. ANZAC commemorations have suited political purposes from 1915, when the first ANZAC Day marches were held in London and Australia. These were very much around trying to get more people to sign up for the war in 1916 to 1918.

In 1915, Australian and New Zealand soldiers formed part of an allied expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula in the Ottoman Empire to open the way to the Black Sea for the allied navies. The objective was to capture Constantinople, the capital of the Ottoman Empire, which was a member of the central powers during the war there. The ANZAC forces landed at Gallipoli on 25 April, meeting fierce resistance from the Ottoman army. What had been planned as a solid, bold strike to knock the Ottomans out of the war quickly became a stalemate and the campaign dragged on for nearly eight months.

At the end of 1915, the allied forces were evacuated from both sides and had suffered heavy casualties and endured great hardships. The allied deaths totalled over 56,000, including 8,709 from Australia and 2,721 from New Zealand. News of the landing at Gallipoli made a profound impact on the Australians and New Zealanders at home, and 25 April quickly became the day on which they remembered the sacrifice of those who had died in the war. Though the Gallipoli campaign failed to achieve the military objectives of capturing Constantinople and knocking the Ottoman Empire out of the war, the actions of the Australian and New Zealand troops during the campaign bequeathed an intangible but powerful legacy.

The creation of what became known as the ANZAC legend became an important part of the national identity for both countries. This has shaped the way in which our citizens have viewed both their past and their understanding of the present. The heroism of the soldiers in the failed Gallipoli campaign made their sacrifices iconic in New Zealand memory and is often credited with securing the psychological independence of the nation. On 30 April 1915, when the first news of the landing reached New Zealand, a half-day holiday was declared and impromptu services were held.

The date of 25 April was officially named ANZAC Day in 1916. In that year, it was marked by a wide variety of ceremonies and services in Australia, New Zealand and also London. In New Zealand, it was gazetted as a half-day holiday. An unnamed London newspaper reportedly dubbed them the 'Knights of Gallipoli'. Marches were held all over Australia, and wounded soldiers from Gallipoli attended the Sydney march in convoys of cars, accompanied by nurses.

For the remaining years of the war, ANZAC Day was used on occasions for patriotic rallies and recruiting campaigns, and marches of serving members of the AIF were held in most cities. From 1916 onwards, in both Australia and New Zealand, ANZAC memorials were held on or about 25 April, mainly organised by returned servicemen and schoolchildren in cooperation with the local authorities. Early morning services were solemn, with a more upbeat tone set for honouring returned soldiers during afternoon activities.

As the member for Hammond has indicated, Australian troops did not return to great victory parades at the end of the war. This was partly because their arrival home depended on available shipping, but also because of the influenza epidemic of 1919, which prevented people assembling in large numbers. The 1919 Sydney parade was cancelled as a result, but a public commemorative service was held where participants were required to wear masks and stand there three feet apart.

With the coming of the Second World War, ANZAC Day became a day on which to commemorate the lives of Australians and New Zealanders that were lost in that war, as well as in substantial wars. The meaning of the day has further broadened to include those killed in all military operations in which the countries have been involved. ANZAC Day was first commemorated at the Australian War Memorial in 1942, but due to government orders preventing large public gatherings in case of a Japanese air attack, it was a small affair and was neither a march nor a memorial service. ANZAC Day has been annually commemorated at the Australian War Memorial ever since.

In Port Pirie, we have commemorated not only ANZAC Day but all other engagements by establishing memorials along the whole length of Memorial Drive. We can acknowledge and remember those who made the great sacrifice so that we can enjoy the freedom and lifestyle that we enjoy today.

My late brother served two terms in Vietnam. My late dad served in the Second World War in Papua New Guinea and along the trail. Four of my uncles served in the Second World War, and my younger brother served some time in the Defence Force, but he did not continue with it. My late brother, Peter, spent about 23 years in the Defence Force, serving not only two terms in Vietnam but also as an attaché to Darwin and also to Canberra. Whilst I have had the great privilege of my family being there, I also did probably about nine years in the Army Reserve. In that period of time I was able to learn a lot about myself but also about other people in particular.

I will mention this: during my brief time as the Minister for Veterans Affairs prior to my heart attacks, I thought I understood the everlasting trauma that survivors and their families may have had, but I certainly was not fully aware of some of the long-lasting emotions, which are invisible to the general public, that have been part of those families from many, many years ago. I had the opportunity to listen to the widows who have lost their sons, their fathers or their husbands in a war. No-one would listen to them, or lend them their ear to be able to talk about it. I had the emotional opportunity to individually have some of those mothers, widows, in my office and hear some of the trauma and the heartbreaking stories that they were telling. I did not have to say anything but I just sat there and listened. I also learnt a lot about some of the things that we in our communities and the public do not talk about.

As I mentioned earlier, I cannot express enough my gratitude to all those who made the ultimate sacrifice, not only the original sacrifice but all those from the past and the current serving ADF people and anybody who has any role in the Defence Force whatsoever. These people dedicate their services to protect our future generations to come.

One of the things we take for granted is that we have a great lifestyle here in Australia and in the Western world. We have lots of challenges. As I said earlier, I cannot express enough my gratitude to the people who volunteer or enlist in the armed forces—the Air Force, the Navy or the Army—or in the associated activities, but also to their families, their children, their relatives and their friends, I say thank you.

While we see lots of challenges in the world today, we are a very fortunate nation, we are a free nation, and we have these people who made the sacrifice, not only in Gallipoli but in all the wars, to thank for us being where we are today. We have had invasions on our own soil. We are an isolated community, but today everything is fine. But, again, I express my gratitude to those people who did that and to the grieving relatives and families of those who did not survive. Lest we forget.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS (Cheltenham—Minister for Trade and Investment, Minister for Local Government, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (11:34): It is a great privilege to rise today to speak to this motion. In doing so I recognise and thank members who have made contributions so far in the chamber today: the member for Hammond, the member for Stuart—a former Minister for Veterans Affairs himself—and the mover, the member for Dunstan.

I thank each of them individually for their demonstrated commitment to veterans and their families through various roles that they have professionally and personally undertaken, but also I thank each of them for, in this place, sharing their own personal family stories of service, from your loved ones to your friends, the most precious people in your lives. Thank you for sharing those stories in this place. Those stories are important and there is a critical commitment we must make—as a government, a parliament, a community—to ensure that those stories, no matter their form or shape or when they were told, continue to be told.

I do not seek to restate the very important and meaningful contributions members have made today. What I would like to say, though, is this: the best demonstration of our commitment to ANZAC Day, the best demonstration we make as a community to ANZAC Day—to the veterans who have served, those who have lost their lives in service and those who have lost their lives because of their service—is through our actions. My call-out to the community is clear: make this ANZAC Day one that you commit to be at. Make this ANZAC Day, if it must be, the first dawn service you have attended, whether it be parents, grandparents or children who are just old enough to provide that persuasive and telling argument to their caregivers and friends. Get along to your local dawn service.

There are dawn services well supported by the RSL and other community organisations and very well supported by members of this house. That is a very clear demonstration that you can make of your support for the lasting memories of our ANZACs. In my local community, on ANZAC Day eve the Seaton Park RSL holds a very important memorial at St Clair and then a dawn service at the RSL at Seaton Park. It is one of the casualties of being the Minister for Veterans Affairs that I am not able to attend my local dawn service, because I will be with many others in this place attending the dawn service here in the city, but a special shout-out to the Seaton Park RSL for the commitment and work they undertake each and every year.

My plea to the community is clear: get along, support the memories of ANZACs by getting to your local dawn service. It is moving, it is poignant, it is important, because we must keep those stories alive. We must demonstrate our commitment to the lasting memory of our ANZACs and to each and every person who has served, who does serve and will serve in the future, and we must do it through actions, through a commitment and, if it must be, make this ANZAC Day the first on which you demonstrate that commitment. Thank you, and thank you to members who have contributed today. Lest we forget.

Mr TEAGUE (Heysen—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (11:39): I am honoured to rise in support of this motion moved by the member for Dunstan and seconded by the member for Hammond, and that I am sure will enjoy the support of the whole house. I am also honoured to follow on from the member for Stuart's contribution, referring as he did to the community that he represents. I am reminded and moved that it was my great grandfather, Arch, who built the First World War memorial at Pirie, which still stands proudly there, alongside now the memorial for the Second World War.

As we look at both built memorials and the response of community on ANZAC Day—also on Remembrance Day—I think we can be confident in the knowledge that we remember them, we commemorate and we do not forget. In many ways, I think as the events of 1915 become more and more distant from that immediate and raw loss that was felt in communities, particularly small communities, back home, the shock and devastation of such massive losses, we are both reverent in our commemoration and, as members who have contributed to this debate have highlighted, also still feel and empathise with those who have been lost since and those who continue to suffer as a result of conflict and of military action.

In reflecting in the course of this debate, I also want to pay particular tribute to the former president of the Stirling RSL, John Thomas, whom we have lost since last ANZAC Day. He will be missed, particularly by members of the Stirling RSL, when we commemorate ANZAC Day at Stirling. John was much loved by his family and by the broader community, and he is held in the highest regard by the Stirling RSL. His service to community extended far beyond the RSL. He was a very significant contributor to all that we value highly in our local community, and I say vale John Thomas.

It was relatively early on for me, when having the chance to speak in support of Premier Marshall's motion to the parliament in November 2018, that I recalled having represented the Premier at the then freshly unveiled memorial at the Stirling Coventry Library that had occurred just a few weeks prior. John Thomas was central to the work that was necessary to bring that memorial to fruition, and that stands now at the centre of Stirling. We know now, as young primary school students all the way through to the elderly members of the community attend, that we will continue to honour their memories.

I also want to pay particular tribute to Dennis Oldenhove, who is the long-time president of the Macclesfield RSL and a true community leader in every sense. He has led an RSL that, unlike so many whose numbers across Adelaide and across the state we know have dwindled in recent years, is an RSL that is growing, not only in its physical form but in terms of its membership and its outreach in the community, and Dennis does an extraordinary job as a community leader.

I very much encourage anyone who is able to attend the traditional evening service at Macclesfield that Dennis leads, which occurs just prior to ANZAC Day. It is a truly extraordinary special event. It takes over the main street of Macclesfield as people gather outdoors for that twilight service prior to ANZAC Day.

There are so many places throughout the hills of Heysen that will be joining to commemorate ANZAC Day. As I said at the commencement of these remarks, that really demonstrates that the nature of the losses that were felt, particularly in the first war, were losses to the core of small communities that remain small communities today. As one reflects on multiple family members who were lost in a small town, it is no wonder that those built memorials were established so soon after the war.

The loss and damage that was felt was very much the loss of small towns and small communities, and it is still keenly felt throughout the Hills, none more so than at Clarendon. There are several members of the house who have been present at Clarendon's ANZAC Day memorial, which traditionally occurs at midmorning as the sun is well and truly up, and it usually is at its most bright and clear and crisp at that point. It is a warm and thankful commemoration that comes following so many dawn services throughout the Hills.

It is truly moving and, as each one is in its own way, demonstrative of our communities' deeply felt thankfulness for those who served and for those in particular who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Lest we forget.

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (11:47): I proudly rise to contribute to this important motion that reflects on, pays respect to and also passes on a tradition to younger Australians of what those service men and women did to give us our freedoms that we enjoy today. April 25 is a historic celebration. It is a day when I think every Australian should stand proud and reflect on what ANZAC Day means and what it has demonstrated to many generations that have come and gone over the course of time. It is also an important day that we remember and, as I said, respect.

If I look across my electorate of Chaffey, in more ways than one it was set up for returned service personnel. Blocks of land were set up to give those returned service personnel an opportunity in life. It was an opportunity for them to come home to an anchor point, because many came back under stressful circumstances, some with life experiences that had changed them forever. The blocks of land were there to help the returned servicemen mend and get on with life's journey. As we know, many thousands of people across the Riverland and Mallee left their fruit blocks and their families behind, and some never returned to see their loved ones. Those service men and women showed the strength, courage, determination, endurance, mateship and bravery that we all acknowledge today.

It is an important time on ANZAC Day, I think, for everyone to attend a service as a sign of respect, as a good Samaritan and as a good Australian to give a level of acknowledgement for those who served our country. The services are an important opportunity for many of us as representatives of our electorates, whether it be a metropolitan service in Adelaide or a regional service.

There are many different types and sizes of services that people attend, particularly in regional settings. I know that the member for Hammond, myself and the member for Stuart have a number of very small and personal services that we like to attend—whether it is on the day, an evening service the night before, a dawn service, a morning service, a mid-morning service or part of some of the events that will run throughout the day—as a gesture of goodwill to show how we will remember them.

There will be 15 services across my electorate. I always attempt to attend as many as I can, but the tyranny of distance is always against me, as it is for many regional MPs. I want to pay tribute to all of the towns that do it. There are those that do not do it every year because of challenges with volunteers and alternate services, but Barmera, Blanchetown, Bowhill, Cadell, Loxton, Mantung, Morgan, Moorook, Karoonda, Renmark, Sanderston, Sedan, Swan Reach, Waikerie and Walker Flat will hold services, as I understand it. I will not be speeding from one to the next, but I will be attending Barmera, Waikerie, Morgan and Renmark. They are important and it is important as the local MP and as a representative that I do attend.

I want to also pay tribute to some of the presidents of the RSLs: Paul Croft in Waikerie, Peter Higgs in Renmark, Chris Ware in Berri, Rob Manuel in Loxton, Bob Deidre in Swan Reach, John Forrester in Morgan, Jim Rolfe in Barmera and Kym Parry in Blanchetown, to name a few. I will be acknowledging returned servicemen at a significant RSL dinner at Loxton. Of course, Howard Hendrick OAM is a living legend and has been regarded as one of Australia's greats. He is over 100 years old. He flew 30 successful missions in Europe in a Lancaster bomber and he continues to be sprightly. He attends the coffee shop most days, still reads books without glasses and always has a joke to tell whenever I run into him.

There are many opportunities. As I said, there will always be breakfasts, there will always be a little bit of two-up and there will always be the coming together of communities. Karoonda is having quite a special day: they are having a storytelling projection on the Karoonda silos. For anyone who has passed through Karoonda, it is silo art with a difference. There are some painted murals on the silos, but they also have a projector that has moving artwork that I think is quite unique and is something that every person should experience when coming close to Karoonda. That digital showcase shares stories of World War I veterans from the Karoonda East Murray area. There were approximately 170 soldiers from that area who took part in campaigns; they were assigned to around 40 divisions or battalions.

It is a day that we show respect. It is a day that we attend those ceremonies. It is a day that we stand proud as an Australian for those who fought and gave us our freedoms of today.

The SPEAKER (11:54): Before I call the member for Colton, I would like to add my quick thoughts on this as well and commend the motion. I thank all those who are involved in putting on ANZAC Day celebrations in the electorate of Mawson, and I thank all those who have served our nation over the years.

I would like to place on the record that I think one of the most poignant dawn services I have been to was on the Western Front, on the centenary of ANZAC Day at Villers-Bretonneux. The words on the war memorial there are:

To the glory of God and in memory of the Australian Imperial Force in France and Flanders, 1916-1918, and of eleven thousand who fell in France and have no known grave.

I think when you retrace the steps of those people who went before us, who went to a foreign land and fought for the future of not only our country but other countries as well, it is very poignant indeed.

Mr COWDREY (Colton) (11:55): I rise today to speak in support of the motion brought to the house this morning by the member for Dunstan. As I reflect every year when a motion of a similar nature is bought to the house, the importance of ANZAC Day never diminishes, year on year. It is a special occasion this year when we celebrate the 110th anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli. As we get further and further from those events, the importance, as I mentioned, has never really diminished.

It is something that has been reflected on in this chamber before, but the 100th anniversary, in particular of the Gallipoli landing, was a point in time when in some ways we saw an increase in attention towards ANZAC Day, particularly at that time by our younger generation, who were potentially getting to know the circumstances of the Gallipoli landing and the sacrifice that was made on that day by so many ANZACs.

I think for that generation it really brought home both the proximity and age of many of those people who sacrificed their lives on the day and also the importance of the work that our armed services do more generally, whether it was in World War I or World War II or in the subsequent conflict has come since then for those who have served in active duty or those who serve in our services more broadly. There are many of us in this house who have connections, through family, friends and others, to both those who have sacrificed their lives and those who have served in the forces in some way, shape or form over the years. So I want to commend the member for bringing the motion to the house.

As we approach ANZAC Day 2025, I want to extend the invitation of the Henley & Grange RSL to all members of our community to attend the 2025 dawn service and pay your respects. The service will again be held at the Soldiers' Memorial on Seaview Road at Henley Beach at 6.30am.

This year, to commemorate the 110th anniversary since Gallipoli, and with the support of the Henley and Grange Surf Life Saving clubs, a special nod will be made to the Gallipoli landing. Cadets will land via boat before joining the catafalque party and marching to the Soldiers' Memorial. In this place before, I have brought attention to the special significance of a service being held so close to the coast, where you can hear waves lapping as the crowd sits in silent reflection. The Gallipoli landing is often not far from front of mind during those times when we do reflect.

The service will again feature Ben Ford-Davies, who provided a fantastic performance on his acoustic guitar last year. Breakfast has been donated by a couple of local businesses, so I just want to acknowledge those: the Henley Square Foodland and Crestcut Meat. The breakfast will be cooked by RSL volunteers in the Rotary Club of Henley Beach and will be served by members of the Bendigo Community Bank West Beach.

We will also have artwork from local children displayed at the community centre—the newly opened community centre—behind the Soldiers' Memorial that is on the corner of Seaview Road. A rum and coffee station will be there, sponsored by local hotels, as always, and two-up will commence later in the day. But I encourage everybody to get along, to take part and to be there for what is the 110th commemoration of the Gallipoli landing.

I thank all those who will volunteer on the day, both from the RSL and from local businesses, and I thank again the great work of Malcolm Whitford, the President of the Henley and Grange RSL, and his other board members for their continued work to put on this dawn service for our community. Lest we forget.

Mr BATTY (Bragg) (12:00): I rise to speak in support of this motion commemorating ANZAC Day. It is an opportunity for this house to rightly acknowledge and rightly remember all of those who are serving our country or who have served our country and in particular to remember those who have made that ultimate sacrifice and given their lives in service of our country: not just the more than 60,000 Australians who died in the Great War but all of those who have died in various theatres of war since then.

We often talk about 60,000 people dying in the Great War or 39,000 dying in World War II, and it is easy to reduce this to just numbers, but I think we need to remember these are people with stories behind them. These are people who were leaving behind mothers and fathers in many instances, sons and daughters in many instances, and it is right that we remember them. It is right that we acknowledge the ultimate sacrifice that they made and also, I think, acknowledge their work in creating a national identity for Australia. It is not just a tale of loss and sacrifice that we remember today; in that hardship I think was also the crucible of our Australian national identity and so many values that we hold dear today, like courage, mateship and determination. Over 100 years later, these ring just as true today for Australians and South Australians. So it is right that we never forget.

In particular I want to acknowledge some local services that will be occurring in and around my electorate in the eastern suburbs to commemorate ANZAC Day and to invite members of our local community to come along to one of these dawn services to pay their respects. There are three in particular I wanted to mention. The first is a dawn service being held by the Friends of Rose Park Memorial. This is a service in conjunction with the City of Burnside, taking place at the Rose Park War Memorial, which is a particularly striking memorial, particularly at a dawn service. That commences at 6.15am, and I will have the honour of laying a wreath at that service.

As well as that, the Kensington Park RSL will be holding a dawn service at their clubrooms on The Parade in Kensington Park. That service will commence at 6.30am, and I would invite members of our local community to attend that. The other service that will be taking place in our local community is in Linden Park, where the Burnside RARA will be conducting a dawn service at their premises at Beatty Street, commencing at 6am, to which I would also invite those residents who live in and around Beatty St and Linden Park to come along and pay their respects.

I also note that the RARA will be hosting a service the day before ANZAC Day at the Regis Aged Care, which I will be attending. It is a great opportunity for those residents at Regis Aged Care in Linden Park to be able to pay their respects for ANZAC Day. I commend this motion to the house. Lest we forget.

Mrs HURN (Schubert) (12:04): I, too, rise in full support of the motion put forward by the member for Dunstan. I think it is right that all sides of parliament, and indeed all members, take the opportunity to reflect on what we are commemorating on ANZAC Day and that, of course, has been touched on through the many contributions.

We recognise and commemorate ANZAC Day on 25 April. It marks the anniversary of the first military action by Australian and New Zealand forces in World War I, and through this motion we pay respects to the families of those ANZACs who tragically lost their lives during the Gallipoli campaign. It is important that we do show gratitude to all Australian personnel who have served in the defence of our country and that we remember all Australians who have been injured or killed whilst serving.

There are so many fantastic RSLs in my local community of Schubert, both in the Barossa Valley and in the northern part of the Adelaide Hills. Even those communities that do not have dedicated RSLs have community groups that are really focused on ensuring that the locals in the community can come out at dawn and pay their respects. I will be trying to head to as many of the services that we have across the community as I can. Last year, I believe I laid a wreath at the Nuriootpa RSL, and I am looking forward to paying my respects there in some way, shape or form again this year.

On ANZAC Day it is important that we not only recognise the Gallipoli campaign but also reflect on the thousands of men and women who have served to protect our nation and who are currently serving overseas. Particularly when we look at the current geopolitical climate, now more than ever I think it is important that we recognise all those people who are fighting to protect Australia's national interests. It is really incumbent that we support them in every way possible.

Every local community has their own special unique way of recognising our fallen soldiers. Whether it is the Angaston memorial, whether it is in Houghton, One Tree Hill, and everything in between, it is so important that we give people in our local communities the opportunity to pay their respects. So to all the volunteers who are putting in so much time at the moment to pull these commemorations together I say a really big thankyou. They are volunteers who put in so many countless hours: from the breakfasts to encouraging the local schools and sporting groups to coordinate laying a wreath.

It is always particularly moving to see the young schoolkids involved in commemorating ANZAC Day and coming out at dawn when I am sure they are usually tucked up in bed. It gives me hope—and I suppose it gives hope to everyone in this place—that we are seeing that next generation continuing to honour all those who have served our nation and are continuing to do so. Lest we forget. I am looking forward to commemorating with the many RSL clubs and, indeed, community groups right across my region on 25 April.

Mr BELL (Mount Gambier) (12:08): I rise to commend the member for Dunstan for her motion recognising the significance of ANZAC Day, an occasion that continues to unite Australians in remembrance of the courage, dedication and sacrifice of our service men and women. Last year's dawn service in Mount Gambier drew a crowd of over 6,000 people, a testament to the enduring respect and gratitude that our community holds for those who have served. It was particularly heartwarming to see so many young people in attendance, reflecting the important role that schools, educators and families play in preserving the ANZAC legacy.

Current RSL President Bob Sandow is a strong believer in the importance of including our next generation in ANZAC ceremonies, ensuring that schools play a vital role in keeping these traditions alive. Our local RSL museum sees hundreds of students visit each year, who are then guided through exhibitions by dedicated volunteers to gain a deeper understanding of the history of our armed forces. One of those schools is Reidy Park Primary School. Last year, they participated in Kapyong Day, held annually on 24 April to commemorate the Battle of Kapyong, a significant engagement during the Korean War, by placing white crosses under the lone pine at Vansittart Park Soldiers Memorial in preparation for ANZAC Day. They also laid a wreath at the dawn service.

Another local school, McDonald Park School, dedicates the two weeks leading up to ANZAC Day to learning about its significance. Their main reading explores the history and experiences of the Australian serviceman. It is so important that these discussions and activities take place to give students a deeper understanding of the significance of the day and its importance to who we are as a country.

The 2024 ANZAC Day service also saw Tenison Woods College captain Bree Robinson deliver the ANZAC speech, a tradition that will continue this year with Tenison's new school captain carrying out the honour. Additionally, representatives from 14 of our local schools will be present to lay wreaths at the service, ensuring that younger generations remain actively engaged in honouring our veterans. The midmorning service will continue this tradition of participation with Army, Air Force, CFS and St John cadets marching alongside veterans. This year, Mount Gambier High School's captain will read the ANZAC speech and a further eight schools will lay wreaths at the memorial, reinforcing the commitment of our local youth to remembering those who have served.

Another local tradition that has continued to grow over the years is the ANZAC Day clash between North Gambier and South Gambier in the Limestone Coast Football Netball League. For more than a decade, the teams have met on ANZAC Day, with the best-on-ground footballer awarded the Tony Casadio ANZAC Day Medal. Tony was a Mount Gambier resident who joined the Australian Navy as a helicopter pilot and was deployed to Vietnam in 1967, where he was awarded the US Distinguished Flying Cross before he was tragically killed in the line of duty. The A-grade netball best-on-court player is awarded the Shirley Underwood OAM ANZAC Day Medal, honouring Shirley's service in the Women's Royal Australian Army Corps, which she joined as a 19 year old in 1950.

These traditions, whether through education, commemorative services or sporting events, ensure that the spirit of ANZAC remains strong in our community. They provide an opportunity for reflection, for storytelling, and for passing down the values of courage, mateship and sacrifice to future generations. It is through these acts of remembrance that we continue to honour those who served and ensure their legacy is never forgotten.

The Hon. D.G. PISONI (Unley) (12:12): I, too, stand to support this motion, particularly with reference to paragraph (d) of the motion which 'remembers all Australians who have been injured or killed while serving'. It takes me back to a practice that we still see evidence of today in antique shops and auctions, for example, where you will see a photograph of a fully uniformed soldier, hand coloured, taken by the family before that soldier was sent to the First World War.

It would have been an extremely expensive investment for that family to make but that was the value that families put on their family member's service. Often it was done by parents for their sons who were going off to war, and so many of them served at Gallipoli. When there is an estate sale, you will see them pop up at auction houses or in antique stores, usually from a deceased estate. I remember that people used to buy those for the frames because they were very beautiful concave-moulded oak frames with a timber mount. But now we are seeing people are buying those to have their own memory of the sacrifice that was given by those men who lost their lives and the families who lost their relatives.

On 25 April this year, it will be my 20th ANZAC Day laying a wreath, and in that time I have seen a growing interest in the dawn service in Unley at the memorial gardens. My office was involved in working with the RSL and local schools with some grant money that came from the federal government in the lead-up to the centenary commemoration of ANZAC, and since then we have seen a much greater participation from students from our local schools.

The project I worked on with the RSL was a plaque for each school that lost former students during World War I and World War II serving the country. All the local primary schools send representatives, Unley High School sends a representative and Walford school sends a representative, of course, because do not forget women played a very important role in service to the country during those wars and were also victims of war, losing their lives and being injured or maimed for life from the conflict.

It is always very pleasing to see the students on ANZAC Day, and they are also there for Remembrance Day. When those days fall on a Sunday, you will still see them there. Obviously, ANZAC Day is a public holiday, but the students are getting up early and coming to show their respect and commemorate those who have fallen for our country. Of course, the soldiers were fighting for what we believe in in this chamber. Regardless of the differences that we have in the way that a government is run, everyone in this place believes in many of the same things: we want a system that is democratic, we want freedom of choice and freedom of speech.

These are the things that those who lost their lives were fighting for, the quality of life, the culture and style of life that we live that has evolved over many, many years of the diversification of authority down to the democracies that we enjoy today and that we defend. We do not always agree, but we believe that you have every right to have a different view to somebody else and to defend that view, not with weapons, not with war, not with violence but simply with debate, and that is what we do in this place, in here.

Often, how to achieve those goals that we believe we want for our constituents is what we debate, not the fact that we all want the best schools—no-one argues with that. We all want the best hospital system—no-one argues with that. We all want the best public transport system, and we all want affordable housing. The politics that happens in places like Australian parliaments is: how do you actually achieve that? That is where the debate is. How do you achieve it? That is what our soldiers fought for. They fought for what we enjoy today, the freedoms we enjoy today and the ability for us to participate in our own governance through a democratic system.

There was one ANZAC Day that I did not attend, and that was the first year of COVID, in April 2020. I did commemorate ANZAC Day, though. Certainly, our RSL organised for members who wanted to commemorate ANZAC Day to light a candle in their driveways in Unley. Consequently, I was there with my suit on and my candle, and I was so pleased to see neighbours who were doing the same thing, particularly those directly across the road who were there with their grandchild holding a candle and commemorating the ANZAC Day service that they would have otherwise attended—if it was not for COVID—in a public setting. I think that shows how respected ANZAC Day is, and the sacrifice that was made by all of our soldiers, our service people who have served our country both here and overseas, who have put their lives at risk.

Over the last 20 years, from when I was first elected, Father Brenton Daulby was the MC for that service, and he was a former veteran of the services. In recent years, Father Brett Williams has been the MC for that service, and he is the son of a World War II veteran, so there is still that very strong connection with those who were directly affected by those wars. After the service, the bells are rung at St Augustine's church across the road. It also should be noted that our former Governor, the Hon. Kevin Scarce, is there every ANZAC Day and every Remembrance Day, representing the Navy and laying a wreath with his wife, Liz Scarce.

We will now regularly see at the ANZAC Day service 300 to 400 people, predominately families who are there with children, couples, new generations coming and commemorating the ANZAC spirit and the ANZAC event, and what it means for Australia and our standard of living, the quality of life and the freedoms that we enjoy today that were under threat on so many occasions in the 20th century. With those remarks, lest we forget.

Ms O'HANLON (Dunstan) (12:22): I want to thank all the members for their heartfelt contributions. I know that all members of this place put great importance on the sanctity of ANZAC Day and hold our defence personnel in the highest regard. When I think back to when I first sort of had a consciousness of the importance of ANZAC Day, it was not actually in my childhood. I had a very close relationship with both my grandfathers who both served in the Second World War—and they both had very different experiences—but it was hearing those stories and having an understanding of how young they were and the responsibility that was on their shoulders, and what they witnessed during those experiences, that really gave me such a strong sense of how thankful we need to be of those people who have put their lives on the line to ensure that we are able to live the lives that we can, in many respects, take for granted today in this country.

It was not until I met my husband that I started regularly going to dawn services, and now it is something I would not miss. It just seems such an important thing to always remember and always reflect on what happened then and what that has given us today. I also went to the Australian War Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux, and that was just an incredibly moving place to go. If anybody ever gets the opportunity to go there, I thoroughly recommend it because it does give you such a sense there, too, of the incredible loss and sacrifice. Again, I thank everybody for their contributions, and I commend this motion to the house.

Motion carried.

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