Letters to the Guardian

It was the start of an eight-month campaign where more than 50,000 Australians are estimated to have fought, some 8,700 lost their lives and almost 18,000 were wounded.

It was the birthplace of the Anzac legend, where Australians forged a reputation for bravery, ingenuity and mateship that has become central to our national character.

These are the traits we respect and honour in every man and woman who has served in defence of our nation.

This year we also continue to commemorate the role of the Australian troops on the Western Front with the Centenary of the Battle of Bullecourt in France and the Battle of Messines in Belgium.

At Polygon Wood, near Ypres in Belgium, there will be a service commemorating the centenary of Australian involvement in the Third Battle of Ypres.

We must never forget that more Australians lost their lives in 1917 due to war than in any other year of our history.

Later this year we will mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Beersheba in Israel.

This year also marks significant anniversaries from the Second World War. We have already commemorated the 75th anniversary of the Fall of Singapore and the Bombing of Darwin, and later this year we honour the Battle of the Coral Sea, Battle of Milne Bay, Australia’s involvement at El Alamein and the end of the Kokoda campaign.

On Anzac Day we also pay tribute to those members of the Australian Defence Force currently on active service overseas, including in Afghanistan and the Middle East.

So when you see someone wearing medals on the left-hand side of their chest, please shake their hand and say, ‘thank-you for your service’.

We owe our service personnel an immeasurable debt of gratitude.

I encourage everyone to participate in their local Anzac Day commemorations and to say ‘thank-you’ to those who have served our country.

The enduring ANZAC legacy and the ideal of mateship are more important than ever before.

Mateship is an integral part of the Australian identity. It’s an ideal that defines our nation’s character – this idea of looking out for each other, through the good times and the bad.

The Salvos have served alongside Australian troops in both World Wars and has supported them on deployments in Korea and Vietnam.

Today, we are present in military bases across the country. We’ve been there providing support to our troops in their times of need – giving them a hand up and a listening ear in their darkest times.

We recognise the power of mateship and why it’s a vital part of the Australian spirit. Whether a simple act of kindness or helping someone rebuild after tragedy – mateship is the common thread that unites us and something that will always endure.

As we enter these uncertain times, I encourage all Australians to reflect on the ANZAC spirit and the strength and hope it brings, and remember why mateship is an ideal still worth fighting for.

Each year we pause as a nation on the 25th April to remember. We are humbly united in gratitude, with grateful thanks for those who have served and continue to serve in our defence force.

We reflect on the sacrifices of those who died in the midst of battle and we shudder to think about the physical, emotional and mental wounds borne by those who did return. The devastating impact war has on the soldiers, sailors and airmen and women who fought and continue to fight for our country is immeasurable. It is however, the high price paid to ensure we all live in the lucky country, a land of peace, freedom and individual liberties we so often take for granted.

As we continue to mark the Centenary of ANZAC, we remember those who gave birth to modern Australia, the Diggers whose sense of mateship, larrikinism and loyalty left a proud tradition which defence personnel proudly keep alive today. 

It is important we never lose sight of the human cost of war and I encourage everyone in the Riverina and Central West to participate in an ANZAC service in their home town or village this ANZAC Day. Attend a march, pause and listen to the chilling sound of the bugle as the Last Post is played, remember and give thanks for the lives and service that others gave so we may enjoy today.

I will be attending services in The Rock, Collingullie, Wagga Wagga and Bimbi and look forward to meeting with and thanking many current and former servicemen and women from our defence force for their contribution and service to our nation.

By ANZAC Day everyone in the electorate should have received my annual ANZAC Day commemorative booklet. I encourage you to read through the stories of local heroes from across the Riverina and Central West, as well as the winning entries from school students who have reflected on what ANZAC Day means to them. The booklet also includes times of local ANZAC services across the electorate.

This and every ANZAC Day may we commit to always remember them. 

Lest We Forget.