Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

It is a great honour to be able to speak today on this commemoration of the hundredth anniversary of the Gallipoli landing. I say that because the response by the Canberra community to Anzac Day and its centenary has been quite extraordinary.

This year's dawn service drew 120,000 people to the War Memorial and Anzac Parade. I was there at the dawn service and it was quite extraordinary. Canberra has a population of 380,000, and the capital region has between 500,000 and 600,000. A large proportion of those who gathered at the dawn service on Anzac Day were Canberrans. I thank and commend Canberrans for remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice, those who were wounded and those who were broken-hearted by the loss of loved ones during the war, and for continuing to remember the sacrifice made by our ADF, who currently serve our nation so well. We remember their continued service and acknowledge that many of those who are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are injured in physical ways and in their mental health. We need to be there to support them.

It was an extraordinary turnout by Canberrans on that very cool morning. It was just wonderful to see, as the sun came up, people of all ages and backgrounds. There were children and babies, and parents wanting to bring their little babies along to commemorate the day and to also acknowledge their relatives. There were little children from schools across Canberra, throughout the region and throughout the country. Quite often there were people on their own, as I was—my husband was down the road in different spot—who were there wanting to pay quiet tribute and to acknowledge those who had served who made the ultimate sacrifice and to remember all those involved in the First World War.

The dawn service was followed by a range of services throughout the nation. We had the national ceremony here in Canberra, and once again the turnout for that was quite extraordinary. It was not just among the people who came to watch where there were record numbers. We also had a record turnout in terms of participants. There were people from the local RSLs here in Canberra—the Woden RSL and RSLs right across the city. We had the cadets out from HMAS HarmanNavy, Army and Air Force cadets—who were there marching proudly. We had a range of groups, from peacekeepers to police force members to civilians, who have been involved in Afghanistan. We had Vietnam veterans. We had representation from humanitarian as well as the conflict— (Time expired)

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