David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC, Senator Ronaldson. Can the minister inform the Senate about the commemorative events which marked Anzac Day this year?

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

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I thank the minister for his answer. Can he further inform the Senate how Australia's involvement in the Great War was commemorated outside of Australia?

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

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Can the minister advise the Senate what further investments the government will make to commemorate a century of service as part of the Centenary of Anzac?

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

A nation that fails to remember is, of course, a nation that fails itself. In tonight's budget there will be a further $35 million in additional funding for commemorative events throughout the remainder of the Centenary of Anzac period. There were 295,000 Australians who served in the First World War; 62,000 died and 70 per cent of those were on the Western Front. There will be additional funding for commemorative events at Lone Pine, Fromelles, Pozieres, Le Hamel, Polygon Wood, Belgium and Beersheba. There will also be a number of commemorative events inside Australia for events that are actually outside the Centenary of Anzac. One of the most important of those will be the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan during the Vietnam War. It is now 50 years. We will be using some of those funds to appropriately commemorate that event. (Time expired)

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I need to clarify that there was leave granted for the tabling of a document. I have to get that on the record. The document is now tabled.