Mrs SALLY QUINNELL (Camden) (19:21): Today I wish to speak about Anzac Day and its significance to the people of Camden and the people of our State and nation. Anzac Day holds a sacred place in Australia's history. On Anzac Day we commemorate the first landing of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps on the shore of Gallipoli over 100 years ago on 25 April 1915. With this landing Australian and New Zealand forces were brought into the slaughter that was World War I. It is important to remember that the Australian men and women who served during World War I voluntarily enlisted. The raw statistics of World War I tell of a nation whose people were committed and proud to serve, with 416,809 enlisting, representing 38.7 per cent of Australian men aged 18 to 44. But statistics do not tell of the courage of our Anzacs and the sacrifices made. Approximately 59,000 soldiers died, 167,000 were wounded, 4,000 went missing or were made prisoners of war, and 88,000 suffered sickness. These grim statistics serve as a reminder of the horrors of war and why it is so vitally important to continue to commemorate Anzac Day and recognise the courage and sacrifice of our current servicemen and women.

This year I was honoured to be invited to participate in Anzac Day commemorations held in Camden. The dawn service, which was hosted by Camden RSL Sub‑Branch, was held at the Camden Bicentennial Equestrian Park. As a testament to the enduring legacy of our Anzacs, over 23,000 people attended the dawn service, with crowds arriving from 4.30 a.m. on a typically cold Camden morning. It was wonderful to see so many people so early in the morning—and on a public holiday—and it was a privilege to lay a wreath in memory of those who had served and died in combat. We were honoured to have as guest speaker Mr Jerry Grayson, AFC, address the crowd. Mr Grayson was a helicopter pilot who served with the Royal Australian Navy from 1972 to 1980. He was the youngest pilot ever to serve in the Royal Australian Navy. Mr Grayson spoke of learning about the spirit of Anzac through the stories told of the Gallipoli campaign—stories of mateship and camaraderie that still define the spirit of Australia. Mr Grayson also thanked First Nations people for their service, many of whom were shamefully never recognised.

The dawn service was followed by a march down Argyle Street, which is the historical main centre of Camden. It was led by the 7th Light Horse Regiment, followed by schoolchildren from every school in the Camden local government area and some beyond, volunteer organisations, former armed services personnel, and their families. The dawn service and march were followed by the main ceremony, which commenced at 11.15 a.m. The greatest honour of the day was presenting some long‑deserved medals. Joseph Charles Elliot, an Indigenous man who enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force and Citizen Military Force on 12 January 1942. He served in Darwin but never received his service medals. I was proud to be asked to present those medals to his family in a very moving ceremony on the day.

Anzac Day has a special sense of solidarity that unites us as a community—from the volunteers who work behind the scenes to plan the services, to the nearby businesses who kindly sponsor the remembrance, to the thousands of locals who give up their time to join the ceremonies. I acknowledge attendees from the community, including representatives of our first responders, Australian War Widows and local cadets. Finally, I thank the Camden RSL Sub‑Branch and, in particular its president, Mr lain Richard‑Evan, a Vietnam veteran, for working to grow the attendance over the past 18 years. They have worked tirelessly to get sponsorship and to coordinate the various community groups involved. I acknowledge that this year several sub- branch members have had a particularly trying year with death and grief within their community. Nevertheless, despite such grief, they still managed to have an incredible impact on the town by organising these events.

People like lain and the Camden RSL Sub‑Branch put a lot of work into making sure all Camden's Anzac Day ceremonies are such an integral part of our town's fabric. I also recognise the contribution of Camden Council staff in making the day run smoothly. Throughout Australia people from all walks of life gather on Anzac Day to attend ceremonies, acknowledging and remembering those who have served and those who continue to serve. We remain forever grateful to the sacrifices made on the battlefield. Lest we forget.