Latest news with #Anzacs
The Advertiser
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Working at Facebook would be fun, no? Ex-staffer gives it the thumbs down
New-release books include an erotic romance by Blanche D'Alpuget and an insider account of Facebook's inner workings. Sarah Wynn-Williams. Macmillan. $36.99. Anyone with even the slightest question about Facebook and its place in the world should read this book. Diplomat and New Zealander Sarah Wynn-Williams thought the social network could change the world in a positive way so she pitched hard for a job and ultimately became director of global policy. Things didn't end well. The book is, of course, only her side of the story, but it makes some startling claims about what goes on behind the like button. Facebook got a gag order, but this backfired when Wynn-Williams was asked to testify before the US Congress. A compelling read. Bob Crawshaw. Australian Scholarly Publishing. $49.95. On a cold, wet Canberra Saturday in August 1947, Australian prime minister Ben Chifley sent out a 42-word press statement, casually mentioning to newspaper reporters including the legendary Alan "Red Fox" Reid that he had "one or two things of interest for you today". The statement announced the Labor Government's intention to nationalise the billion-pound banking industry. The banks fought back with a monumental advertising and public relations campaign, with opposition leader Robert Menzies and his fledgling Liberal Party pouring fuel on the fire. The ALP lost the 1949 election and the playbook for industry attacks on governments was set. Daniel Reynaud. Signs Publishing. $29.95. Salvation Army brigadier William "Fighting Mac" McKenzie was a wowser. As a Salvo, it was in his job description. But despite his fervent opposition to grog, brothels, betting and bad language, McKenzie was the Army chaplain best-loved by the Anzacs, serving alongside them in Egypt, at Gallipoli and on the Western Front. McKenzie became a wartime celebrity for his efforts in supporting the troops, helping to lift their morale and campaigning for those at home to write to lonely soldiers. As Reynaud says: "If the original Anzacs revered him, then we who revere them should pay attention to his story." A.C. Grayling. Oneworld Publications. $32.99. What has happened to the quality of public debate around the world? A.C. Grayling turns his philosopher's eye to the politics of the culture wars and how debates about societal issues big and small can quickly deteriorate into incendiary and bitter exchanges. The combatants, Grayling writes, deploy new weapons: "cancelling' and "no-platforming" on one side and accusations of censorship and denial of free speech on the other. As a result, he says, the task of ending discrimination and promoting social justice is undermined by excesses on all sides. Grayling argues that there are better ways to resolve our differences. Jane Caro. Allen & Unwin. $34.99. Lyrebirds are brilliant mimics, so if they make the blood-curdling sound of a woman screaming in terror and begging for her life, what horrific crime has happened in this dense bushland in the Barrington Tops National Park? Researching for her PhD in ornithology at Newcastle University, Jessica Weston is horrified by the male lyrebird's mating song but police, despite the enthusiasm of newly appointed detective Megan Blaxland, aren't interested. Two decades later, when a woman's body is found near where Jessica heard the lyrebird, she joins Megan to unearth her identity. This thriller is commentator Jane Caro's second novel for adults after The Mother. Chris Flynn. Hachette. $32.99. This book's opening scene came to author Chris Flynn in a dream. He imagined families watching a junior footy game when the kids all freeze and begin singing. For his fourth novel, a supernatural horror, he turns that vision into a nightmare as children playing in a Saturday morning under-10s soccer match in the small Australian town of Gattan suddenly stop moving, sing a verse of Latin and then die. And the same thing happens to every nine-year-old on the planet at the exact same time. As grief and fear ricochet around the globe, Gattan families reckon with the fallout of this apocalyptic phenomenon. Blanche D'Alpuget. Popcorn Press. $29.99. At 81, Blanche D'Alpuget, the author of 15 books, including Robert J Hawke: A Biography and historical fiction like Turtle Beach and Winter in Jerusalem, takes a daring dive into the genre of erotic romance and mystery with this racy detective novel set in Sydney's wealthy eastern suburbs and the posh manor houses of the NSW Southern Highlands, where long-time morning television host Evelyn Sinclair is found dead in a shocking bondage scene. Who was her mystery lover? Why were long-stemmed yellow roses delivered to her by someone dressed in PPE? And what's with the group with plush pink bunnies attached to their backpacks? Emily Henry. Viking. $34.99. Everyone has a story to tell, but when the story is coming from a famously reclusive heiress, you know it's going to be a page turner. With a rockstar husband and a media magnate family that has attracted almost as many headlines as their publications produced, the life story of Margaret Ives is one any writer would love to tell - especially Alice Scott, an up-and-coming journalist who is striving for her big break. There is just one problem: Pulitzer-winning Hayden Anderson is also vying for the memoir of the century. As both writers try to untangle the tantalising history of Ives, they begin to realise that their own story could be a mystery, tragedy or romance. Love books? Us too! Looking for more reads and recommendations? Browse our books page. Bookmark the page so you can find our latest books content with ease. New-release books include an erotic romance by Blanche D'Alpuget and an insider account of Facebook's inner workings. Sarah Wynn-Williams. Macmillan. $36.99. Anyone with even the slightest question about Facebook and its place in the world should read this book. Diplomat and New Zealander Sarah Wynn-Williams thought the social network could change the world in a positive way so she pitched hard for a job and ultimately became director of global policy. Things didn't end well. The book is, of course, only her side of the story, but it makes some startling claims about what goes on behind the like button. Facebook got a gag order, but this backfired when Wynn-Williams was asked to testify before the US Congress. A compelling read. Bob Crawshaw. Australian Scholarly Publishing. $49.95. On a cold, wet Canberra Saturday in August 1947, Australian prime minister Ben Chifley sent out a 42-word press statement, casually mentioning to newspaper reporters including the legendary Alan "Red Fox" Reid that he had "one or two things of interest for you today". The statement announced the Labor Government's intention to nationalise the billion-pound banking industry. The banks fought back with a monumental advertising and public relations campaign, with opposition leader Robert Menzies and his fledgling Liberal Party pouring fuel on the fire. The ALP lost the 1949 election and the playbook for industry attacks on governments was set. Daniel Reynaud. Signs Publishing. $29.95. Salvation Army brigadier William "Fighting Mac" McKenzie was a wowser. As a Salvo, it was in his job description. But despite his fervent opposition to grog, brothels, betting and bad language, McKenzie was the Army chaplain best-loved by the Anzacs, serving alongside them in Egypt, at Gallipoli and on the Western Front. McKenzie became a wartime celebrity for his efforts in supporting the troops, helping to lift their morale and campaigning for those at home to write to lonely soldiers. As Reynaud says: "If the original Anzacs revered him, then we who revere them should pay attention to his story." A.C. Grayling. Oneworld Publications. $32.99. What has happened to the quality of public debate around the world? A.C. Grayling turns his philosopher's eye to the politics of the culture wars and how debates about societal issues big and small can quickly deteriorate into incendiary and bitter exchanges. The combatants, Grayling writes, deploy new weapons: "cancelling' and "no-platforming" on one side and accusations of censorship and denial of free speech on the other. As a result, he says, the task of ending discrimination and promoting social justice is undermined by excesses on all sides. Grayling argues that there are better ways to resolve our differences. Jane Caro. Allen & Unwin. $34.99. Lyrebirds are brilliant mimics, so if they make the blood-curdling sound of a woman screaming in terror and begging for her life, what horrific crime has happened in this dense bushland in the Barrington Tops National Park? Researching for her PhD in ornithology at Newcastle University, Jessica Weston is horrified by the male lyrebird's mating song but police, despite the enthusiasm of newly appointed detective Megan Blaxland, aren't interested. Two decades later, when a woman's body is found near where Jessica heard the lyrebird, she joins Megan to unearth her identity. This thriller is commentator Jane Caro's second novel for adults after The Mother. Chris Flynn. Hachette. $32.99. This book's opening scene came to author Chris Flynn in a dream. He imagined families watching a junior footy game when the kids all freeze and begin singing. For his fourth novel, a supernatural horror, he turns that vision into a nightmare as children playing in a Saturday morning under-10s soccer match in the small Australian town of Gattan suddenly stop moving, sing a verse of Latin and then die. And the same thing happens to every nine-year-old on the planet at the exact same time. As grief and fear ricochet around the globe, Gattan families reckon with the fallout of this apocalyptic phenomenon. Blanche D'Alpuget. Popcorn Press. $29.99. At 81, Blanche D'Alpuget, the author of 15 books, including Robert J Hawke: A Biography and historical fiction like Turtle Beach and Winter in Jerusalem, takes a daring dive into the genre of erotic romance and mystery with this racy detective novel set in Sydney's wealthy eastern suburbs and the posh manor houses of the NSW Southern Highlands, where long-time morning television host Evelyn Sinclair is found dead in a shocking bondage scene. Who was her mystery lover? Why were long-stemmed yellow roses delivered to her by someone dressed in PPE? And what's with the group with plush pink bunnies attached to their backpacks? Emily Henry. Viking. $34.99. Everyone has a story to tell, but when the story is coming from a famously reclusive heiress, you know it's going to be a page turner. With a rockstar husband and a media magnate family that has attracted almost as many headlines as their publications produced, the life story of Margaret Ives is one any writer would love to tell - especially Alice Scott, an up-and-coming journalist who is striving for her big break. There is just one problem: Pulitzer-winning Hayden Anderson is also vying for the memoir of the century. As both writers try to untangle the tantalising history of Ives, they begin to realise that their own story could be a mystery, tragedy or romance. Love books? Us too! Looking for more reads and recommendations? Browse our books page. Bookmark the page so you can find our latest books content with ease. New-release books include an erotic romance by Blanche D'Alpuget and an insider account of Facebook's inner workings. Sarah Wynn-Williams. Macmillan. $36.99. Anyone with even the slightest question about Facebook and its place in the world should read this book. Diplomat and New Zealander Sarah Wynn-Williams thought the social network could change the world in a positive way so she pitched hard for a job and ultimately became director of global policy. Things didn't end well. The book is, of course, only her side of the story, but it makes some startling claims about what goes on behind the like button. Facebook got a gag order, but this backfired when Wynn-Williams was asked to testify before the US Congress. A compelling read. Bob Crawshaw. Australian Scholarly Publishing. $49.95. On a cold, wet Canberra Saturday in August 1947, Australian prime minister Ben Chifley sent out a 42-word press statement, casually mentioning to newspaper reporters including the legendary Alan "Red Fox" Reid that he had "one or two things of interest for you today". The statement announced the Labor Government's intention to nationalise the billion-pound banking industry. The banks fought back with a monumental advertising and public relations campaign, with opposition leader Robert Menzies and his fledgling Liberal Party pouring fuel on the fire. The ALP lost the 1949 election and the playbook for industry attacks on governments was set. Daniel Reynaud. Signs Publishing. $29.95. Salvation Army brigadier William "Fighting Mac" McKenzie was a wowser. As a Salvo, it was in his job description. But despite his fervent opposition to grog, brothels, betting and bad language, McKenzie was the Army chaplain best-loved by the Anzacs, serving alongside them in Egypt, at Gallipoli and on the Western Front. McKenzie became a wartime celebrity for his efforts in supporting the troops, helping to lift their morale and campaigning for those at home to write to lonely soldiers. As Reynaud says: "If the original Anzacs revered him, then we who revere them should pay attention to his story." A.C. Grayling. Oneworld Publications. $32.99. What has happened to the quality of public debate around the world? A.C. Grayling turns his philosopher's eye to the politics of the culture wars and how debates about societal issues big and small can quickly deteriorate into incendiary and bitter exchanges. The combatants, Grayling writes, deploy new weapons: "cancelling' and "no-platforming" on one side and accusations of censorship and denial of free speech on the other. As a result, he says, the task of ending discrimination and promoting social justice is undermined by excesses on all sides. Grayling argues that there are better ways to resolve our differences. Jane Caro. Allen & Unwin. $34.99. Lyrebirds are brilliant mimics, so if they make the blood-curdling sound of a woman screaming in terror and begging for her life, what horrific crime has happened in this dense bushland in the Barrington Tops National Park? Researching for her PhD in ornithology at Newcastle University, Jessica Weston is horrified by the male lyrebird's mating song but police, despite the enthusiasm of newly appointed detective Megan Blaxland, aren't interested. Two decades later, when a woman's body is found near where Jessica heard the lyrebird, she joins Megan to unearth her identity. This thriller is commentator Jane Caro's second novel for adults after The Mother. Chris Flynn. Hachette. $32.99. This book's opening scene came to author Chris Flynn in a dream. He imagined families watching a junior footy game when the kids all freeze and begin singing. For his fourth novel, a supernatural horror, he turns that vision into a nightmare as children playing in a Saturday morning under-10s soccer match in the small Australian town of Gattan suddenly stop moving, sing a verse of Latin and then die. And the same thing happens to every nine-year-old on the planet at the exact same time. As grief and fear ricochet around the globe, Gattan families reckon with the fallout of this apocalyptic phenomenon. Blanche D'Alpuget. Popcorn Press. $29.99. At 81, Blanche D'Alpuget, the author of 15 books, including Robert J Hawke: A Biography and historical fiction like Turtle Beach and Winter in Jerusalem, takes a daring dive into the genre of erotic romance and mystery with this racy detective novel set in Sydney's wealthy eastern suburbs and the posh manor houses of the NSW Southern Highlands, where long-time morning television host Evelyn Sinclair is found dead in a shocking bondage scene. Who was her mystery lover? Why were long-stemmed yellow roses delivered to her by someone dressed in PPE? And what's with the group with plush pink bunnies attached to their backpacks? Emily Henry. Viking. $34.99. Everyone has a story to tell, but when the story is coming from a famously reclusive heiress, you know it's going to be a page turner. With a rockstar husband and a media magnate family that has attracted almost as many headlines as their publications produced, the life story of Margaret Ives is one any writer would love to tell - especially Alice Scott, an up-and-coming journalist who is striving for her big break. There is just one problem: Pulitzer-winning Hayden Anderson is also vying for the memoir of the century. As both writers try to untangle the tantalising history of Ives, they begin to realise that their own story could be a mystery, tragedy or romance. Love books? Us too! Looking for more reads and recommendations? Browse our books page. Bookmark the page so you can find our latest books content with ease. New-release books include an erotic romance by Blanche D'Alpuget and an insider account of Facebook's inner workings. Sarah Wynn-Williams. Macmillan. $36.99. Anyone with even the slightest question about Facebook and its place in the world should read this book. Diplomat and New Zealander Sarah Wynn-Williams thought the social network could change the world in a positive way so she pitched hard for a job and ultimately became director of global policy. Things didn't end well. The book is, of course, only her side of the story, but it makes some startling claims about what goes on behind the like button. Facebook got a gag order, but this backfired when Wynn-Williams was asked to testify before the US Congress. A compelling read. Bob Crawshaw. Australian Scholarly Publishing. $49.95. On a cold, wet Canberra Saturday in August 1947, Australian prime minister Ben Chifley sent out a 42-word press statement, casually mentioning to newspaper reporters including the legendary Alan "Red Fox" Reid that he had "one or two things of interest for you today". The statement announced the Labor Government's intention to nationalise the billion-pound banking industry. The banks fought back with a monumental advertising and public relations campaign, with opposition leader Robert Menzies and his fledgling Liberal Party pouring fuel on the fire. The ALP lost the 1949 election and the playbook for industry attacks on governments was set. Daniel Reynaud. Signs Publishing. $29.95. Salvation Army brigadier William "Fighting Mac" McKenzie was a wowser. As a Salvo, it was in his job description. But despite his fervent opposition to grog, brothels, betting and bad language, McKenzie was the Army chaplain best-loved by the Anzacs, serving alongside them in Egypt, at Gallipoli and on the Western Front. McKenzie became a wartime celebrity for his efforts in supporting the troops, helping to lift their morale and campaigning for those at home to write to lonely soldiers. As Reynaud says: "If the original Anzacs revered him, then we who revere them should pay attention to his story." A.C. Grayling. Oneworld Publications. $32.99. What has happened to the quality of public debate around the world? A.C. Grayling turns his philosopher's eye to the politics of the culture wars and how debates about societal issues big and small can quickly deteriorate into incendiary and bitter exchanges. The combatants, Grayling writes, deploy new weapons: "cancelling' and "no-platforming" on one side and accusations of censorship and denial of free speech on the other. As a result, he says, the task of ending discrimination and promoting social justice is undermined by excesses on all sides. Grayling argues that there are better ways to resolve our differences. Jane Caro. Allen & Unwin. $34.99. Lyrebirds are brilliant mimics, so if they make the blood-curdling sound of a woman screaming in terror and begging for her life, what horrific crime has happened in this dense bushland in the Barrington Tops National Park? Researching for her PhD in ornithology at Newcastle University, Jessica Weston is horrified by the male lyrebird's mating song but police, despite the enthusiasm of newly appointed detective Megan Blaxland, aren't interested. Two decades later, when a woman's body is found near where Jessica heard the lyrebird, she joins Megan to unearth her identity. This thriller is commentator Jane Caro's second novel for adults after The Mother. Chris Flynn. Hachette. $32.99. This book's opening scene came to author Chris Flynn in a dream. He imagined families watching a junior footy game when the kids all freeze and begin singing. For his fourth novel, a supernatural horror, he turns that vision into a nightmare as children playing in a Saturday morning under-10s soccer match in the small Australian town of Gattan suddenly stop moving, sing a verse of Latin and then die. And the same thing happens to every nine-year-old on the planet at the exact same time. As grief and fear ricochet around the globe, Gattan families reckon with the fallout of this apocalyptic phenomenon. Blanche D'Alpuget. Popcorn Press. $29.99. At 81, Blanche D'Alpuget, the author of 15 books, including Robert J Hawke: A Biography and historical fiction like Turtle Beach and Winter in Jerusalem, takes a daring dive into the genre of erotic romance and mystery with this racy detective novel set in Sydney's wealthy eastern suburbs and the posh manor houses of the NSW Southern Highlands, where long-time morning television host Evelyn Sinclair is found dead in a shocking bondage scene. Who was her mystery lover? Why were long-stemmed yellow roses delivered to her by someone dressed in PPE? And what's with the group with plush pink bunnies attached to their backpacks? Emily Henry. Viking. $34.99. Everyone has a story to tell, but when the story is coming from a famously reclusive heiress, you know it's going to be a page turner. With a rockstar husband and a media magnate family that has attracted almost as many headlines as their publications produced, the life story of Margaret Ives is one any writer would love to tell - especially Alice Scott, an up-and-coming journalist who is striving for her big break. There is just one problem: Pulitzer-winning Hayden Anderson is also vying for the memoir of the century. As both writers try to untangle the tantalising history of Ives, they begin to realise that their own story could be a mystery, tragedy or romance. Love books? Us too! Looking for more reads and recommendations? Browse our books page. Bookmark the page so you can find our latest books content with ease.
Otago Daily Times
03-05-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
‘Over 40 years' of Anzac addresses given
Archdeacon the Ven Bernard Wilkinson (centre) leads the procession from Maheno School to the cenotaph. PHOTOS: CLAIRE TAYLOR Maheno's Anzac Day commemoration has had a distinctive figure at the helm for over 40 years: 94-year-old archdeacon the Ven Bernard Wilkinson. The former Oamaru vicar is known for his ability to keep the local remembrance fresh each year and never repeat a story. Maheno School principal Stella Macrae said on Anzac Day Archdeacon Wilkinson's addresses remained "passionate, interesting and [had] a strong message". He still cuts an energetic figure and only stepped down as manager of the Oamaru Churches Food Bank a year ago. Until his "retirement" 34 years ago, Archdeacon Wilkinson was the vicar of St Andrew's Maheno, and continued his link with Anzac Day. "I can't quite remember how long it's been. Over 40 years," the archbishop said. He addresses the Maheno gathering each Anzac Day with personal anecdotes, offering reflections focused on humanity rather than religion. Typically about 150 people attended but "over 200" gathered last Friday, he said. His Anzac addresses were inspired by his own experiences, stories told to him or those passed down through the years. But the essential message never changed — the goal was "remembrance". Archdeacon Wilkinson noted many ordinary people had important wartime stories that deserved to be told. His favourite part of the commemoration was "standing on the steps of the memorial and seeing all the people". He was "particularly impressed" with the Maheno School pupils who marched to the memorial and laid poppies on Anzac Day. Mrs Macrae said the school was always involved in the Anzac commemoration, underscoring its special link to SS Maheno. The former Union Steamship Company liner was used during World War 1 by the New Zealand Naval Forces, as HMNZ Hospital Ship No 1. Maheno ran aground on Fraser Island in 1935. Its bell was given to Maheno School in 1967 by the company. Although it was no longer used as a school bell, due to cracks, it was rung annually on Anzac Day. The bell remained a symbol of the bond between New Zealand and Australia, built on the sacrifices of the Anzacs, Mrs Macrae said. — Claire Taylor, Journalism Student
Otago Daily Times
30-04-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
University remembers past students
A solemn ceremony honouring World War 1 dead included a roll call of fallen University Rugby Club players on Friday. About 100 people attended the Otago University Students' Association annual Anzac Day service. Emeritus Prof John Broughton said the service marked 110 years since the Gallipoli landings and paid tribute to more than 500 students and 27 staff who served in World War 1, in particular the 97 who died for the nation. "We will never forget the brave who lie across the sea." "Our whakataukī, or proverbial saying, still resonates today — 'Mate atu he toa, ara mai ra he toa — As one brave warrior falls, there is also always another to fill the breach'." Otago University Students' Association president Liam White said the day was "not a celebration of war, but a solemn reflection on courage, sacrifice and the enduring hope for peace". The legacy of the Anzacs challenged all to reflect on "what they gave for us, but also what we are doing with the world left in our care". "Peace is not an accident. "It is built deliberately through compassion and understanding." The ceremony included Otago University Rugby Football Club members honouring former players who died in World War 1. Representatives read out the names of 20 rugby players who made the ultimate sacrifice. This included Dr George Martin Chapman, an Otago medical graduate and Varsity A stalwart who won a rugby Blue at Cambridge before serving as a medical officer on the Western Front. He was killed by a shell while tending the wounded during the Second Battle of Ypres. Harold Phillip James Childs left Knox College and the School of Mines to fight at Gallipoli, where shell wounds put him on the hospital ship Sicilia . He died aboard and was buried at sea. Major Frank Hadfield Statham studied mining and played for Varsity A. He led the 10th North Otago Company up the cliffs at Gallipoli and died of wounds at Chunuk Bair in August 1915. Lieutenant Thomas Holmes Nisbet balanced law studies with Varsity A rugby before joining the Otago Infantry Battalion. He fell at Gallipoli and now rests in No 2 Outpost Cemetery, Turkey. Robert Stanley Black played for Varsity A before touring Australia with the 1914 All Blacks. Enlisting in the Otago Mounted Rifles, he was reported missing on the Somme in northern France.
Epoch Times
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Overuse of ‘Welcome to Country' Could Cheapen Its Significance: Opposition Leader
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has spoken out about 'overdone' Indigenous Welcome to Country ceremonies in the fourth and final prime ministerial debate before the May 3 election. Speaking on the evening of April 27, Dutton was asked about a contentious episode over the long weekend during Anzac Day commemorations on April 25. Boos and heckling could be heard during a Welcome to Country being performed during the dawn service at Melbourne's Shrine of Remembrance At least three men were heard interrupting as Bunurong elder Uncle Mark Brown, with police later ordering a 26-year-old man to leave the venue. Attendees reported hearing chants of, 'Don't welcome us to our country,' 'What about the Anzacs?' and 'We're here for the Australians.' Some other attendees reportedly responded by then yelling, 'Shame on you,' at the group of men, which included a self-proclaimed neo-Nazi Jacob Hersant. Related Stories 4/24/2025 4/27/2025 A similar situation occurred in Perth. Created in the 1970s, the Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country has become near-pervasive in Australian public life featuring before the start of official events, sporting events, and even on public signage. Dutton condemned the booing during the solemn Anzac ceremony, but acknowledged a growing sense of annoyance in the community with Welcome to Country ceremonies. 'For the opening of Parliament, fair enough, it's respectful to do, but for the start of every meeting at work or the start of a football game, I think a lot of Australians think it's overdone,' he told the Channel 7 debate. 'It cheapens the significance of what it was meant to do.' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese commented that he believed it was up to event organisers to decide whether or not they included a Welcome to Country ceremony. Dutton's comments echoed the sentiments of an unidentified veteran who was interviewed in the aftermath of the booing at the Melbourne ceremony. Channel Nine reporter Mark Santomartino spoke to the man at the Melbourne service who said there was a time and a place for everything. 'I have a lot of veteran mates who haven't come today solely because of the Welcome to Country because our friends died for this country, for this soil, and for them the 'welcome' is a slap in the face,' he told the reporter. 'It's not right to welcome veterans ... just listen to all the people that have died for this country, for them to 'welcome' us in this country is disrespectful.' People First Party Leader Gerard Rennick also spoke out against the inclusion of the Welcome to the Country ceremony at Anzac Day events. 'It is disrespectful to our veterans and must stop. 'We are there to pay our respects to those who served our country and remember their sacrifices.'
West Australian
29-04-2025
- General
- West Australian
Anzac Day 2025: HMAS Toowoomba visits Albany for 110th anniversary of Gallipoli landing
HMAS Toowoomba and its 190 officers and sailors paid Albany a visit for the 2025 Anzac Day services and commemoration of the 110th anniversary of the Anzac landing at Gallipoli. April 25, 1915, saw 16,000 Australian and New Zealand soldiers land on the shores of Gallipoli in modern-day Turkey during World War I after the Royal Australian Navy's HMA Submarine AE2's efforts to navigate through the Dardanelles into the Sea of Marmara. Former Albany resident weapons electrical engineer officer Darcy Cook returned aboard the Royal Australian Navy frigate. He said he first joined the navy through an apprenticeship in 1991 after his high school, St Joseph's College, was visited by a navy recruiting team, thinking it was a 'really good idea'. 'It's a huge privilege to have the opportunity to come back to my home town and to meet all my old friends my family, but also to show the town off in all its glory to my shipmates on HMAS Toowoomba,' he said. HMAS Toowoomba's crew joined thousands who turned out for the dawn service, the trooping down York Street, and the commemorative service to acknowledge and remember past servicemen and women. HMAS Toowoomba commanding officer Cmdr Barton Harrington said the visit to Albany was his fourth with the navy, and 'each and every time' he received a 'warm welcome'. 'The dawn service is particularly significant in the town of Albany as it's the last place that many of the first Anzacs saw of Australia before they went off to the war,' he said. 'Conducting the dawn service here really allows us to reflect on the sacrifice they made, and so many other servicemen and women have made over the years. 'It's so important to be down in Albany whenever we can . . . it's the last place many of the Anzacs saw of Australia, but it's also great to get out to the regional town and show the people the navy is out there and contributing to the security of the country each and every day, and build that connection with the community.'
