Sir/Madam: When we commemorate Anzac Day on 25 April, we honour the thousands of Diggers who gave their lives fighting heroically under the banner of God, King and Country in a tragic and inept campaign in far-away Gallipoli, 99 years ago, when Australia was part of the British Commonwealth .
At the time, many Australians were opposed to the war. In two referendums held in 1916 and 1917, calling for the conscription of Australian soldiers to fight overseas, the majority voted No.
Over the years and especially in recent times, there has been extensive publicity proclaiming that our national identity and character was forged at Gallipoli and as such it is at the pinnacle in our collective memory.
Without distracting from the courageous effects of the Anzacs, some balance must be restored to our collective memory of key events in our nation`s life. In this regard, the Eureka Stockade and the battles by Australian soldiers fighting the Japanese in World War Two must be at the forefront of our reflections on the Australian character.
Moreover, our country’s achievements in times of peace, such as leading the world in the eight-hour working day in 1888, and the basic wage for workers 10 years before Gallipoli, should remain high in our proud, collective memory, along with our distinctive national character of mateship in all its many forms and a fair-go for all.
We must not let the controllers of the mass media, along with politicians expressing patriotic zeal, distort the true meaning of Gallipoli in our nation`s history.
– Keith McEwan, Civil Liberties Australia member, Bonython ACT, March 2014