Letters to the Editor: 13 April 2022 'Our nation needs to grow significantly'

As we come out of the COVID pandemic I see another greater threat to our freedom and way of life. I strongly believe now during this federal election we need to vote for politicians and leaders who will unite Australia where each state's strengths are used to enhance our weakness for the future not for one year but plan for the next 100 years.

If we look at reality, Australia's riches are not being exploited to make us a world leader that can have real significance in world affairs. We are not moving fast enough when it comes to playing on the big stage and we have to rely on the UK,USA and others as our allies and are dictated to by them, if we are honest.

Our entire nation needs to grow significantly by 10 fold in population, technology, environmental controls, infrastructure, defence and education if we are going to be a real leader in the future. We only have to look at what is happening today in Russia, Ukraine, China and North Korea to realize these threats are real. We need to unite and to move quickly to build Australia into one of the most powerful nations in the world. We are a rich nation but the building blocks and the vision to achieve greatness will need great leaders and great sacrifice to plan for the next 100 years for future generations to be a major strategic player in world peace.

One hundred years goes in the blink of an eye and I strongly believe we have the desire and the people to create our own destiny.

Last week's Mail carried the welcome news that Anzac Day services were being planned as normal this year. However, while this year's services (assuming they go ahead) will be the first official services in three years, they will not be the first Anzac Day commemorations in three years.

In 2020, around 50 people came to the Mandurah war memorial at 11am on Anzac Day; one politician even attended. I assume that most had no idea whether or not others would be there; they simply came to pay their own respects. However, they were rewarded by being able to observe the performance of a drum and pipe band who attended in their Highland regalia.

Despite the concerns of the board of RSLWA that holding events would endanger elderly veterans, three of them were at this "unofficial" service, wearing their medals--and not happy that "official" services had been canceled.

I imagine that some people had also attended the memorial at dawn because I know from a news report that some (including, again, elderly veterans) did in 2021. I also am guessing that some attended at 11am last year. Others came throughout the day to pay their respects at memorials - a "non-essential" activity, according to the government's dictates.

Politicians and the RSL do not own Anzac Day and cannot cancel it. It is Australia's day, and I thank God for those in our town for whom "we will remember them" is more than just a nice-sounding line.

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