Remember to Remember: A message from the State President

In war, everyone sacrifices something, but some give everything. On Remembrance Day, we pause to remember those who gave everything – our fallen. 

Since 1914, our sons and daughters have travelled the world in pursuit of peace, from Flanders Fields to the barren lands of Afghanistan and Iraq. They conquered battlefields, carried bloodied comrades from the trenches and quietly prayed in the dark. They saved lives and helped rebuild nations. 

They dreamt of their mother’s cooking, kept good luck charms in their pockets, and looked at the setting sun, wondering if it might be their last. 

For all their bravery and skill, many didn’t make it home. Their families, friends and communities were left to carry on, their pain and loss spanning generations. Their only solace – knowing that their loved one's sacrifice was not in vain.

The question for us now is, how can we honour those who laid down their lives for their fellow Australians?

The best way to honour their legacy is for us to guard and make the most of the freedom they fought to protect. Because of them, we live in a country shaped not by fear, bombs or terror, but by freedom, fairness and respect.

We have built monuments carved in stone to honour the fallen, but it’s the virtues they memorialise that should inspire us towards a better future. If we choose, we can continue to create an Australia that honours what they have done for us, every day of the year.

That is how we build a living monument to them.

At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, observe a minute’s silence. By doing so, you can help keep the legacy of our fallen alive.

In that silence, let us remember and renew our responsibility to protect what their sacrifices made possible. 

Lest we forget.