Commemorating ANZAC Day 2021

FOR what they have done this we will do — the simple reason all Australians must ensure the legacy of commemoration continues this Anzac Day.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said ANZAC Day was one of the most sacred day of commemoration on the Australian calendar.

“It is a time for us to remember the service and sacrifice of all Australian service personnel who have served our nation for over a century,” Mr Vasta said.

“My electorate of Bonner has a proud history of military service and Anzac Day is an opportunity for us to pay our respects and show our gratitude for the service and sacrifice of all those who have served and provided us with the freedoms we enjoy today.”

Last year, with the challenges of the coronavirus, we found new and creative ways to honour those who serve and have served — driveway vigils at dawn, private floral tributes, and contacting current and former defence personnel to check in and thank them for their service.

“This year, I encourage everyone to attend a local service if possible and show your respect for those who have served, subject to local health advice,” Mr Vasta said.

“At its heart, Anzac Day is a time for personal reflection, and there are a number of ways we can commemorate.

“I have updated my website with a list of Bonner services, as well as information on how you can stream the Australian War Memorial’s Dawn Service.

“I have also shared ways you can commemorate this important date at home, and can download a poppy to display in your home or shop window.

“However you choose to commemorate the day, please do so in a respectful and safe way, ensuring our veterans, current Australian Defence Force members, their families and the thousands of descendants of our veterans know that we value the contribution of those who have served our country.”

For more information on local services, visit www.rossvasta.com.au/community/anzac-day-2021

While the coronavirus pandemic still affects how we do things, there are ways Australians can mark Anzac Day, including:

  • Attending a local community dawn or commemorative service (pending the latest health advice).
  • Tuning in to the ABC to Watch the Dawn Service and National Ceremony live from the Australian War Memorial.
  • Leaving a poppy and personalised Anzac Day message on the Virtual Poppy Wall at https://lestweforget.gov.au alongside thousands of other Australians.
  • Taking part in the RSL’s ‘Light up the Dawn’ campaign, which may include standing at the end of your driveway at dawn.
  • Exploring the Australian War Memorial’s Anzac At Home content online for videos, activities and recipes at awm.gov.au/anzacathome
  • Taking a photo of the local war memorial or honour board and upload it to Places of Pride at placesofpride.awm.gov.au to help build the national register of Australian war memorials.
  • Taking part in their own private commemorations in a respectful, solemn and dignified way.

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs has also released a digital ‘kitbag’, which has a range of practical resources to help people mark Anzac Day — from families, local community groups right through to someone wanting to hold their own private commemoration.

“The kitbag is free and includes posters, sample speeches, orders of service, supporting music, crafts cards on how to make Anzac biscuits, poppies or a wreath and a range of supporting social media assets, including social media banner images,” Mr Vasta said.

“With many options available to commemorate this Anzac Day, as a nation we can all proudly carry on the legacy of acknowledging service and sacrifice on Anzac Day in 2021.”

Visit https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/resources/anzac-day-kitbag to view the Anzac Day kitbag.

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Educational resources for schools to support ANZAC Day commemorations

SCHOOLS and community groups in Bonner will soon receive educational materials and creative resources to help commemorate Anzac Day.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said the Anzac Day mail-out resources, made available through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA), helped the community commemorate in a meaningful way and learn more about Australia’s military history.

“Learning about our military history is a significant part of commemoration as it provides us with an understanding of events that have shaped the nation as well as the sacrifices that our service personnel have made for Australia, including the more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in service of our nation,” Mr Vasta said.

“This year’s mail-out includes resources that commemorate 100 years of the Royal Australian Air Force, with this milestone falling in 2021.

“The war in the Pacific and the end of the Second World War will also feature in the mail-out resources.”

The Anzac Day mail-out contains posters, educational materials including flyers and the book Shifting Tides: Australia and the Pacific in the Second World War.

Mr Vasta said he encouraged schools and community groups to access and use these resources as a tool to teach Australia’s future leaders and the next generation about the service and sacrifice of Australian service personnel.

“These educational resources will help children and teenagers learn about our military history, and understand the meaning of Anzac Day,” Mr Vasta said.

“Extending their understanding of service and sacrifice will also help them appreciate why it’s important that our community, along with the rest of Australia honours our service personnel on this day.”

All resources are free and available to download on the Anzac Portal (anzacportal.dva.gov.au).

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Students encouraged to enter ANZAC Day School Awards

STUDENTS in Bonner can learn more about veteran service and Australian wartime history by asking the question, ‘what does commemoration look like in our community?’

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said students could enter the Anzac Day Schools’ Awards and honour the service and sacrifice of Australians from the First World War to modern day conflicts and peacekeeping operations.

“Australia has a rich military history and the Anzac Day Schools’ Awards are an opportunity for students in Bonner to learn more about our contribution over the years and how we now commemorate as a community,” Mr Vasta said.

“2020 meant the cancellation of many Anzac Day services and we saw communities adapt and find different ways to commemorate.

“The theme centres on the importance of commemorations and asks students to look at how society and commemorations have changed over time.

“The Awards also help ensure our future generations grow up with a recognition and respect for the sacrifice of all who have served in the protection of our country and way of life.

“I encourage all schools across Bonner to take part in this competition and I look forward to seeing what students come up with.”

The national winner’s school will receive $5000, a trophy and a certificate.

There will also be state and territory winners, with the schools receiving $3000 and a certificate.

Winners in the special categories will receive $2000 and a certificate.

Entries for the Awards are now open and will close on Wednesday, 30 June 2021.

For more information, including on award categories, judging, criteria and how to apply visit the Anzac Portal website.

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Honouring those who served in the Vietnam War

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP joined members and veterans of the Manly-Lota RSL Sub-Branch for the annual Vietnam Veterans Day Service to commemorate the anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan.

Mr Vasta said today was about reflecting on the service and sacrifice of those who served during one of the longest military engagement of the 20th Century, the Vietnam War.

“Across two decades between 1962 and 1975, almost 60,000 Australians served during the Vietnam War, sometimes fighting in extreme conditions, often with poor visibility,” Mr Vasta said.

“Each year on Vietnam Veterans’ Day, Australia remembers all those who served in the Vietnam War, including the more than 500 Australians who lost their lives.”Mr Vasta said the service was a private occasion with invited guests only to keep in line with COVID-19 restrictions.

“However, while the wider community could not be part of it, I know they were with us in spirit,” Mr Vasta said.

“Even with our younger generation with the bugle player Lewis Campbell joining us from Moreton Bay Boy’s College to deliver The Last Post.”

Mr Vasta said the Battle of Long Tan on the 18th of August 1966, was one of the fiercest battles fought by Australian soldiers in the Vietnam War, and saw 18 Australians killed and 25 wounded.

“Today we also acknowledge and honour the Vietnam veterans who have lost their lives in the years since they returned and those who still carry the physical and emotional scars of their service and the families that have supported them.”

The Australian War Memorial will hold a Last Post Ceremony at 4:55pm AEST today, 18 August 2020, to commemorate Vietnam Veterans’ Day and the anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan.

To find out more about Vietnam Veterans’ Day, the Vietnam War and the Battle of Long Tan, please visit the Anzac Portal website.

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