A century after soldiers from Australia and New Zealand landed on the shores of Gallipoli, public opinion has become wide ranging about whether nations should go to war when their sovereignty is not directly threatened.
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But Anzac Day should be above that debate.
We should recognise that thousands of Australians had the courage to put their hands up and cross the globe to fight, in the belief that World War I would be the war to end all wars.
That brave act ultimately cost many of them their lives.
Whether you oppose Australia’s involvement in foreign conflicts or you consider it part of this nation’s responsibility, the sacrifice and legacy of each digger who landed at Gallipoli is undeniable.
Miss Maitland, Olivia Richardson, expressed that sentiment during the Anzac Day commemoration ceremony at Maitland Town Hall.
The young representative of the city said that, to her, Anzac Day should not be about the politics of war.
She said Anzac Day was the time to remember the Australians who made the ultimate sacrifice for their families and friends back home.
“Our own lives are the most precious gifts we have,” Miss Richardson said.
“To risk these, for whatever reason, is a sacrifice that demands respect.
“I can never imagine what it was like for the hundreds of men and women who went to war. I can only appreciate the sacrifices they made for us all. And each and every year we can pay tribute to those who gave their all for our future generations.”
Well said, Miss Richardson. Anzac Day is a time to put the politics aside and remember the bravery of each person who stepped onto the beach at Gallipoli in 1915.