Thursday, 2 May 2024

Anzac Day

Richard RIORDAN (Polwarth) (09:44): I too rise today to put on the record the wonderful contributions made right across the electorate of Polwarth on Anzac Day. Anzac Day kicked off early on the Wednesday in Colac with the combined secondary school and primary school ceremony at the cenotaph in Memorial Square, Colac. It was fantastic to see a great roll-up. It then continued in every town and hamlet right across Polwarth. It was a real highlight this year to see the dawn service at Point Danger in Torquay reinvigorated, with estimates of up to nearly 10,000 people.

I also make note very much of the fact there were contributions in many of the towns this year from newer returned service men and women who stepped up to the role to help participate in this longstanding tradition that occurs on Anzac Day every year. I make particular note of Darcy Dunstan, a former SAS soldier, who did a fantastic job addressing the Torquay crowd when he brought home to the crowd and all those assembled the parallels between his life and that of his great-grandfather, who was in World War I.

These commemorative services right across Polwarth are an important contribution every year and also a fantastic acknowledgement of the past services of so many thousands of people right across the Polwarth region. I look forward to it again next year.