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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-04-29 Daily Xml
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Matters of Interest

Beyond Gallipoli Fundraising Event

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (15:19): I rise today to speak about the Beyond Gallipoli fundraising event that I had the pleasure of attending recently, representing the member for Adelaide. I note, sir, that you were kind enough to attend the event as well. I was representing the member for Adelaide, the Hon. Rachel Sanderson MP.

This wonderful event commemorated the brave soldiers who paid the ultimate sacrifice fighting on the Gallipoli battlefield. It is hard to believe, in the relatively short time since this event, that such events are not possible to be held anymore as we all deal with the fallout from our collective battle with COVID-19. Beyond Gallipoli served to remind us all of what happened behind the scenes, if you like, of the battlefront in Gallipoli itself.

We all need to remember those who assisted and treated the sick and wounded as they journeyed to safety. We all remember the soldiers and are aware of the enormous sacrifice they made and the huge price many of them paid, but this event focused as well on those behind the scenes. Thousands of sick and wounded ANZAC soldiers travelled to Malta for medical and hospital treatment following their time in Gallipoli, and remembering this we consider the many ANZACs who were subsequently laid to rest in Malta.

Of those who were buried in Malta, there were 202 Australians and 72 New Zealanders. It was a chance to commemorate the doctors, nurses, workers on the hospital ships, the volunteers and the vital role the Red Cross played in saving as many lives as possible. Throughout the Gallipoli campaign over 55,000 troops travelled to Malta for care. It was not only a place of treatment for the ANZAC troops, but a place for respite, rehabilitation and recreation. It served as an escape from the war itself.

The Australian Hall, built in 1915, still stands in Malta today. It provided a place for recreation and a concert hall for soldiers on the island. The money to build the hall was raised by the Australian branch of the Red Cross, which relied on the generous donations of an appreciative Australian public. This fantastic night also served as a fundraiser for the under 18s rowing regatta, to be hosted in the Grand Harbor in Malta itself, also known as the Port of Valetta, on 25 April 2021, ANZAC Day of course.

This race will involve competitors from Australia, New Zealand and Malta. This event is the first ANZAC sporting competition which will honour the memory of all those involved in this particular chapter of this brutal conflict. Elite rowing students from years 11 and 12 will be invited to participate and will undertake an educational trip to Malta, providing an invaluable opportunity to learn more about these significant ANZAC sites and the events that surround them.

Thank you to the event organisers and catering staff, and a special mention to the Legion Frontiersman Cadet Corps for their outstanding renditions of the Last Post and the National Anthem. The fundraiser included the usual door and raffle prizes, as well as the auctioning of sports memorabilia, and the silent auction was well supported and raised almost $5,000. These funds will significantly contribute to next year's regatta, which will serve as an opportunity to maintain the important connection between Malta, New Zealand and Australia, preserving this vital part of our important shared history.

I reflect now on how fortunate we were to be able to celebrate and commemorate this event when we did. In the short time since, we have seen that such events, including the ANZAC Day services that have just passed, were not possible as we strive to flatten the curve and slow the spread of COVID-19. I look forward, hopefully soon, to the return of these important community gatherings.

I appreciate that we were able to remember the hard work of healthcare professionals on the battlefields in Gallipoli, which seems even more pertinent now with healthcare professionals globally fighting this new and dangerous COVID-19 battle. Even though we were not able to gather as a community on 25 April to commemorate and remember the fallen, as we normally would on ANZAC Day, and all those who sacrificed so much for their families and their country, all of us in our own way were able to pay tribute, most importantly, to remember them.

As would have many members of this council, I stood in commemoration at dawn, reflecting on the significance of the occasion. I think, to the best extent that we could as a society, we paid appropriate tribute not only to the fallen but to those who sacrificed in other ways on these very significant occasions in our national history. It was different this year; it was a time when some people felt that it was not enough, but it was the best we could do. I am sure all of us look forward to going back to the normal ceremonies next year. I, for one, look forward to my own father marching next year: he has marched every year for many years, and it was the first ANZAC Day that I was not able to spend with him because of the events surrounding COVID-19. I very much look forward to next year.

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