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In April each year, Australians come together to commemorate the courage and sacrifice of our armed services – on ANZAC Day.

We also pay tribute to the efforts of other nations who have fought side-by-side with us during times of conflict. It’s a busy time of year for me as I hold the formal title of Minister for Veterans Affairs, alongside my roles as Premier, and Minister for Multicultural Affairs.

ANZAC Day holds a special significance for all Australians because it is a time to recognise and reflect on the attributes that have helped shape our national character: qualities like courage, selflessness, mateship and respect.

It is these qualities which also underpin our Government’s respect agenda – our commitment to help build a culture of greater respect for ourselves and our communities.

The respect agenda is focussed particularly on young people, and programs are now up and running in our schools to encourage students to discuss the issue and suggest how to head off anti-social behaviour in their communities.

Victoria’s ANZAC commemorations in 2010 held a particular emotional potency. I was honoured to pay homage to Victorians who lost their lives on the Western Front – on the fields of Fromelles in France – nearly 94 years ago.

Nineteen of those young Victorians were recently formally identified as part of an ongoing project which will see their re-burial at Australia’s new Fromelles Military Cemetary.

They had been ‘missing in action, presumed dead’ for too long. Naming them and laying them to rest with dignity closes a tragic chapter in our nation’s wartime history, and brings peace and a sense of closure to the soldiers’ families.

Around 50,000 soldiers lost their lives across the Western Front between July 1916 and October 1918.

These diggers represented a generation of brave young Australians – they ranged in age from 18 to their late 20s.

In the 21st century, the current generation of Australian youth have demonstrated a renewed interest in the stories of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

 I think it’s vitally important that our young people understand the dedication and sacrifice that went into making this country. We cannot afford to forget that the opportunities and the prosperity we enjoy today are a product of this sacrifice.

One of the highlights of ANZAC commemorations for me is my involvement in the Spirit of ANZAC Prize.

Created in 2004, the prize is awarded to secondary students in Years 9 and 10, who compete for the chance to visit sites of significance to Australia’s overseas war experiences.

This year, the 10 prize-winners visited sites along the Thai Burma Railway – where around 13,000 Australian Prisoners of War were forced to labour – and the battlefields of the Western Front in Europe.

They travelled as ambassadors for their schools, their state and their country – and from their own accounts, the trip was a life-changing experience.
I would like to encourage you to mention the Spirit of Anzac Prize to any young people you know who will be in Year 9 or Year 10 next year.

Not only could they experience a trip of a lifetime as they gain a deeper understanding of Australia – their experiences will help keep the spirit of ANZAC alive and well for generations to come.