Ian Goodenough (Moore, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The Centenary of the ANZAC landings at Gallipoli was commemorated in my electorate of Moore and in communities across the nation at ceremonies and local events. This significant event in our national history has contributed to our Australian national identity and the values which we hold dear, including devotion to duty, loyalty to one's mates, personal sacrifice and service to our country. At that time, Australia was a young nation, barely 15 years out of Federation, and the First World War represented our first substantive entry onto the international stage. Patriotic Australians, keen to do their duty for king and country enlisted in the Australian Imperial Forces.

The First World War unleashed the horror of modern warfare on an unprecedented scale. The period between 1870 and the early 1900s represented a significant era in the development of small arms and artillery. The technological development of modern nitro-cellulose based explosives, propellant and cartridges led to the design and development of automatic weapons with high sustained rates of fire, and artillery with explosive ordnance. These technological advances changed the ground rules of warfare: never before in history had such lethal and effective weapons been deployed on the battlefield, inflicting heavy casualties and loss of life. The Anzac troops were confronted with the sombre reality of entrenched machine gun positions and the appalling stalemate conditions of trench warfare. In these conditions of hardship and deprivation, the Anzac spirit was born out of our troops' support of each other.

In the context of a world that is faced with conflict and security concerns, it is important that these Anzac values be maintained and passed down to future generations of young Australians so that we as a nation may meet and overcome the future security challenges that we face as a nation in uncertain times. Just as the Anzacs were confronted with modern weapons, today we are faced with new security threats and the difficulty in identifying our enemies in the war on terrorism. However, armed with the Anzac spirit, we will be able to overcome whatever those future challenges may be.

At a local level, I pay tribute to the community work of the local Returned Services League branches in my electorate: the Ocean Reef RSL, led by President Rick Green; the Wanneroo-Joondalup RSL, led by President Wendy Tuffin; and the Quinns Rocks RSL led by President Peter Lofdahl. I recognise the valuable contribution which the team of volunteers make in promoting the welfare of veterans and in raising public awareness of the issues facing our service personnel.

The federal government introduced the Anzac Centenary Local Grants Program to assist communities in commemorating the centenary with enduring projects. The Moore electorate committee consisted of the freemen of the cities of Joondalup and Wanneroo: Nick Trandos OAM, Margaret Cockman OAM, and Bill Marwick OAM. I wish to thank these longstanding residents for the benefit of their historical knowledge and advice in reviewing the applications and recommending three projects for approval. A memorial arch and monument proposed by the Ocean Reef RSL was constructed in the grounds of the Ocean Reef Sea Sports Club. The memorial contains thoughtful symbolism in its design elements and was designed by sculptors Charles Smith and Joan Walsh-Smith. The Somerly Primary School in Clarkson built an Anzac memorial garden in the school grounds, consisting of raised flowerbeds covered in specially designed tiles, paying tribute to the elements of the Australian Defence Force: the Army, Navy, Air Force, and peacekeeping operations. The Quinns Rocks RSL, which draws its membership base from both the    Moore and Pearce electorates, received shared funding for a traditional obelisk memorial surrounded by a formal garden overlooking the bowling greens at the Quinns Rocks Sports Club.

Local schools across my electorate also held Anzac ceremonies to mark the centenary. I was pleased to attend three school ceremonies on Friday, 24 April. Sacred Heart College held a Dawn Service on Sorrento Beach, directly across the road from the school grounds. Many families attended, and I joined Anna and Grace Murphy—daughters of Ray Murphy, an ex-serviceman—who wore their grandfather's medals, in laying a wreath in the Indian Ocean. I acknowledge Principal Peter Bothe for his leadership in organising the event. Somerly Primary School held a morning service around the newly constructed Anzac memorial garden, and it was pleasing to see so many parents in attendance. I make mention of Principal Tracey Renton, who has been supportive of educating students about Anzac history. In the afternoon, the students and staff at Joseph Banks Secondary College held its memorial service outdoors, with many parents in attendance. I acknowledge Principal Eleanor Hughes, who commenced as foundation principal when the school opened earlier this year and has done a creditable job in establishing school events anew, such as the Anzac service. On Anzac Day the three local RSL branches held dawn services, which attracted record crowds in paying their respects. I was among a crowd of approximately 10,000 residents that attended the Wanneroo-Joondalup RSL service in Central Park, in Joondalup.

My electorate of Moore has a historical connection to Anzac Centenary through the 10th Light Horse Regiment. The regiment was raised in Western Australia in October 1914 and joined the 3rd Light Horse Brigade in Egypt, serving dismounted in Gallipoli. The regiment's most famous actions were the charge at the Nek, on 7 August 1915, and at Hill 60, on 29 August to 30 August, in which Lieutenant VH Throssell was awarded the Victoria Cross. Following the withdrawal from Gallipoli in December 1915, the regiment was reorganised. With the rest of the Australian light horse, they defended Egypt from the Ottoman army advancing on the Suez Canal.

Through 1916, they drove the Turks across the deserts of Sinai, participating in the battles of Romani and Magdhaba. In 1917, they were part of the Desert Column which advanced into Palestine. The regiment participated in the bloody battles to break the Gaza-Beersheba line and helped capture Jerusalem. It participated in the Es Salt Raid in May of 1918. That August, it was one of the regiments re-equipped with swords and rifle boots and retrained to take a more orthodox cavalry role. In their new role, they took part in the rout of the Ottoman army in the Jordan Valley—a campaign the light horse referred to as 'The Great Ride'. In September, the 10th Light Horse was the first formed regiment to enter Damascus. Turkey subsequently surrendered on 30 October 1918.

The regiment first camped in Wanneroo on the east side of Wanneroo Road, south of Ashley Road, but later moved to the site of today's 10th Light Horse Heritage Trail in the Neerabup National Park, leading to the site of the second camp formed during World War II, which accommodated 600 men camped with equipment and their horses. Perhaps the best known local identity to have served at Gallipoli was AB Facey, who spent part of his life working on farms and lime kilns in the Wanneroo district. His autobiography, A Fortunate Life, chronicles his incredible life story.

In concluding, we honour the service of the original Anzacs a century ago, and pay tribute to all Defence Force personnel who have served our nation in world wars and conflicts since then. We owe it to them to never forget their sacrifice and contribution.

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