Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Johnston for his question. On 25 April this year, both at home and abroad, many hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Australians commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landing. This watershed event in our nation's history has for the past 100 years been remembered as a nation-defining event. The government has supported community based commemoration, national and international commemoratives ceremonies and a wide program of events to support the Centenary of Anzac and the century of service that has flowed from it.

The government's Centenary of Anzac Local Grants Program, which built on the approach of the former government, provided $125,000 for commemoratives events across each federal electorate, supporting many Centenary of Anzac commemoratives events. Over 1,700 applications were funded. I want to acknowledge the ex-service organisations throughout the nation and community groups that applied for the funding and coordinated what have been quite magnificent local community events.

In communities large and small throughout the nation this year hundreds of thousands of people gathered to commemorate the supreme sacrifice made by so many in all wars, conflicts and peace-keeping operations over more than 100 years. The sheer magnitude of these crowds has undoubtedly meant that a new generation of young Australians will have instilled in them that 'Anzac' means service and sacrifice. I was having a quick chat to Senator Williams before, who said that in the town of Inverell alone some 2,000 people were at the dawn service. (Time expired)