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

I again thank Senator Johnston. The Prime Minister and myself, the Leader of the Opposition and the shadow minister gathered in Gallipoli with some 10½ thousand Australians and New Zealanders for the Anzac dawn service. This was a very moving ceremony.

Included in those commemorations were 10 World War I veterans' widows. They themselves had remarkable stories and we were deeply honoured to have them there. Mrs Niki Alldritt and Mrs Ann Beasley were asked to lay wreaths at the dawn service. They did it on behalf of all widows and noted their unique connection because their two husbands fought at Gallipoli before they went on to the Western Front.

In France over 6,000 people gathered at the commemorative site at Villiers-Bretonneux and, as we know, there were some 290,000 Australians who served on the Western Front. (Time expired)