Andrew Nikolic (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week I launched a book by Launceston author Julian Burgess titled William Gow's Anzac Diary. It was a timely tome, given that, on 20 October, we marked the centenary of Australian troops departing Albany for the war in Europe. Six months after the convoy left, our troops were first ashore at Anzac Cove, and these are significant milestones in Australia's history—defining events that helped shape Australia, our character and our place in the world.

There is not enough time to properly articulate what was achieved at Gallipoli in establishing our identity and culture, but it is sufficient to say that the answer to any question about who we are as a nation begins with Gallipoli. Our ethos of a fair go, service to the nation, mateship, a larrikin character, egalitarianism—all have their roots in this period of our national development. By way of example, William Gow came home and established Launceston Legacy, to support widows and orphans of World War I soldiers.

Tasmania provided about 13,000 service men and women during the Great War. More than 2,500 Tasmanians died as a direct result of their war service, and few communities escaped the toll.

I congratulate Julian Burgess on a wonderful book, which is a very special component of northern Tasmania's commemoration of the centenary of Anzac.