RESPECT AND AUSTRALIA’S MEMORIAL DAY

The consequences of COVID are everywhere and one that most people in the world have faced is lockdown in some form or other. There are a number of sensible crowd restrictions designed to minimise the potential spread of the virus but not all restrictions are sensible.

On Australia’s Memorial Day (ANZAC day) for those that fought and died during the Second World War, the ceremony normally draws a crowd of over 100,000 but this year the crowd was limited to 8,000 and enforced with steel fences around the venue. In the afternoon is a football match which often draws a crowd of over 90,000 but this year the crowd was limited to 85,000. The ANZAC crowd is usually quiet, respectable and well managed whereas the football match is quite the opposite, a rowdy football crowd.

There are many that will miss the chance to attend and pay their respects to the fallen, but everyone will be either able to go to the game or watch it on TV. There has been some discussion about the different crowd sizes but surely there should be a greater respect for those that stood up to protect their country.

We will remember the fallen.

Dennis Fitzgerald,

Melbourne, Australia