Queensland ANZAC Commemoration Ceremony for Students

Representing the Premier of Queensland and Minister for Veterans,  Senator the Honourable James McGrath; Representing the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Bart Mellish MP; The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of Brisbane City, Councillor Adrian Schrinner; Federal Member for Brisbane, Ms Madonna Jarrett MP; Honorary President of the ANZAC Day Commemoration Committee, Captain Adele Catts; senior representatives of the Australian Defence Force, RSL Queensland and Legacy Brisbane; distinguished guests, school staff and students. 

I begin by also acknowledging the Original Custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to any First Nations people here this morning. 

Good morning, everyone. 

It is a great honour to join with so many young Queensland students and their teachers here at the Shrine of Remembrance today. 

Anzac Day remains one of the most sacred moments on our national calendar. Long after the Gallipoli campaign, it continues to hold a special place for us to collectively honour the service, sacrifice and devotion to duty of all Australian Defence Force personnel, in times of war and as peacekeepers. 

As Governor, and as Patron of Queensland’s Anzac Day Commemoration Committee, I am deeply touched by your commitment to attend this special occasion to solemnly reflect on the significance of Anzac Day, and to proudly honour those Australians who have served and continue to serve our country and protect our way of life. 

On this, the 111th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings, we also pause to remember all Australians who have served - not only in Gallipoli and the first two World Wars, but in every conflict, peacekeeping mission, humanitarian effort, and emergency response since. 

The Anzac story began 111 years ago when 16,000 Australian and New Zealand forces landed on the beach at Gallipoli, Turkiye in what was our country’s first major international military campaign. 

Sadly, by the end of the eighth month of fighting at Gallipoli, more than 8,000 Australians had died and thousands more were wounded. Many who returned home were broken in mind, body and spirit.

Some of those serving at Gallipoli were about the same age as the older students joining us here today. During the First World War, you had to be 21 years old to enlist, or 18 years if you had written permission from a parent or guardian. Although boys aged 14 to 17 could enlist as buglers, trumpeters and musicians.

Many boys misled authorities about their age so they could join up with their mates on what seemed for many at the time to be a great adventure. Sadly, it turned out to be anything but. 

Historians at the Australian War Memorial have since identified 235 underage volunteers from the First World War.

These young lads are among the thousands of stories of service and sacrifice of those who have rendered their service in good faith to our nation. 

Anzac Day was first commemorated in Queensland in 1916 and, on this 110th anniversary, I applaud the Commemoration Committee for its ongoing efforts to preserve and promote Anzac traditions through important initiatives like today’s student ceremony. 

To our students and teachers, thank you for being here this morning to help ensure the Anzac spirit lives on, so that future generations can also understand its relevance and importance. 

As we look towards Anzac Day on Saturday (25 April), we honour all Australian servicemen and women for their service, sacrifice and devotion to duty. 

Anzac Day reminds us that the peace and freedoms we enjoy today were not given lightly. They were earned through sacrifice—through lives cut short, futures unfulfilled, and families forever changed.  

We must never forget the brave men – and boys - who stepped ashore at Gallipoli. We have a duty to honour their courage, endurance, mateship, sacrifice and unwavering sense of duty. 

We will remember them with pride and immense gratitude. 

Lest we forget.