Preserving ANZAC spirit

With ANZAC Day approaching, and global news once again dominated by war, it’s hard not to notice how present conflict feels – even when it’s far from here.

As a contemporary veteran, this time of year has always carried a certain weight.

Not just in the memorial services themselves and pausing to focus on friends and colleagues I served with, but in noticing how we as a community relate to it now.

Most Australians experience war through a screen from a psychological distance.

Alongside this, public attention has been drawn to high-profile cases involving veterans, including Ben Roberts-Smith.

These stories generate strong opinions, and often divide them.

But for many who have served, and for the communities they return to, the reality is usually quieter – and closer to home.

The original ANZAC story wasn’t abstract.

It was about people, in a particular place, relying on each other under pressure.

It was about showing up, doing your job, and looking after those around you.

It’s easy to become absorbed in events unfolding on the other side of the world while overlooking the places where we have real influence.

Regional communities have always operated differently, relying on practical contribution.

On people turning up.

On neighbours helping neighbours.

On quiet, consistent acts of service that rarely make headlines.

That’s not separate from the ANZAC story – it’s a continuation of it.

It is after all, what those of us who’ve served wanted to protect.

We don’t honour service by observing it from a distance, or debating it endlessly.

We honour it by practising it where we are.

That might look like volunteering.

Supporting a local business.

Checking in on someone who’s struggling.

Raising children who understand responsibility.

Showing up to community events even when it’s inconvenient.

These things don’t feel dramatic, but they are the fabric that holds communities together.

In uncertain times, it’s worth remembering that while we can’t control events unfolding far from here, we can influence the strength of the place we live in.

And perhaps that’s what ANZAC still means – not just remembering service, but continuing it.