Honouring the fallen at international Anzac Day services

This Anzac Day, Australia will honour the service and sacrifice of Australian veterans, serving personnel and their families the world over.

As Parliamentarians mark this day at services across their local communities, Australian Government Ministers will also represent the nation at significant sites internationally.

The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel and the Assistant Minister for Defence and Veterans’ Affairs will represent Australia in Türkiye and France next week.

Commemorative services will also be held at memorial sites in the Asia-Pacific, where our service personnel fought and died to defend our nation and our allies.

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Matt Keogh will deliver the commemorative address at the Anzac Day service at Gallipoli, where more than 8,700 Australians lost their lives in a campaign that would come to define Australia’s national identity.

Assistant Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Matt Thistlethwaite will travel to Villers-Bretonneux to attend the Dawn Service on the Western Front, where some 46,000 Australians died during the First World War.

Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, and Multicultural Affairs, Andrew Giles will represent Australia at the service in Hellfire Pass, Thailand, while Minister for International Development and the Pacific, and Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy will mark Anzac Day in Papua New Guinea, at the Bomana War Cemetery and on the Kokoda Track.

Thousands of Australians will also travel to these sites to pay their respects.

Details of overseas services facilitated by the Australian Government can be found on the DVA website.

Lest we forget.

Media contacts

Stephanie Mathews (Minister Keogh’s Office): 0407 034 485
Ben Leeson (Assistant Minister Thistlethwaite’s Office): 0404 648 275
DVA Media: media.team@dva.gov.au

Editor’s note: For veterans and families this day may be an emotional time and lead to feelings of distress. You are encouraged to include the contact information for Open Arms Veterans and Families Counselling in your stories. Open Arms is available 24/7 on 1800 011 046 or visit OpenArms.gov.au.

Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling provides 24/7 free confidential crisis support for current and ex-serving ADF personnel and their families on 1800 011 046 or the Open Arms website. Safe Zone Support provides anonymous counselling on 1800 142 072. Defence All-Hours Support Line provides support for ADF personnel on 1800 628 036 or the Defence Health Portal. Defence Member and Family Helpline provides support for Defence families on 1800 624 608